


Something Worth Protecting

by Belochop



Category: Far Cry (Video Games), Far Cry 5
Genre: Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/M, Forced Marriage, Jealousy, Kidnapping, Mind Manipulation, Mischief, Past Drug Addiction, Religious Imagery & Symbolism, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-31
Updated: 2019-04-23
Packaged: 2019-10-01 10:08:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 60,868
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17242322
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Belochop/pseuds/Belochop
Summary: Junior Deputy Elena Marie 'Rook' never thought that the arrest of Joseph Seed will lead her to such consequences. After her escape she quickly gains reputation among locals and becomes the most dangerous enemy, somehow standing ground against Seeds. What she doesn't realize is that her brothers followed her to Hope County and drew attention of the dangerous cult too. As the 'Hero' she will not only have to fight for the Resistance but also fulfil her duties as a bigger sister to protect her brothers and save them from a heartbroken truth their family hides. One wrong move and everything can change drastically.





	1. When it all began

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys, it's the first time I'm writing anything. But reading those amazing chapters everything creates awoken something in me as well. I had this idea for a long time and finally decided to share with ya. Btw, English is not my first language. Hope you will like it :)  
> -B-

_**6th June Hope County, Montana**_ …

    _Untamed, wild and natural place, giving a shelter to most species. The high mountains, overgrown with dense forests and other vegetation, always welcoming to hikers, campers, rock climbers, fishermen and hunters. I have visited it a few times before, while hiking with my neighbourhood friend Thomas Wilson. Little town called Falls End, full of friendly welcoming residents. Thomas finally introduced me with its owner Gary Fairgrave, the owner of a bar ‘Spread Eagle’. Nice guy. Very homey and a real family man. I saw his two children: Drew and Mary May. And Irene Fairgrave, a very kind and caring woman. Thomas always said if you wanted a place to spend night in Hope County, go straight to Gary. There is no better place where you can relax and get drank without being shoo away._

_**17th March Hope County, Montana** _

_This time Gary was confusing. He didn’t talk much about what concerned him but the differences in his behaviour were seen by eye. Everything’s changed from the last time I’ve been here. Heard something about sudden charge of the newest cult. Last year Gary just joked about the so-called peggies. Now, though, they seemed to be angrier and more dangerous. Thomas told me a man Joseph Seed was in charge and have kidnapped dozens of people, forcing them to join the cult. But Gary refused. It seemed he was very concern about his family’s future. Who knows what’s going to happen…_

**_20th March Hope County, Montana_**

    _I heard sudden screams in ‘Spread Eagle’. But Mary May didn’t allow me to get in. I saw some police officers coming in and out. Then a corpse was taken away. I heard someone asking for Gary. Neither Thomas nor I understood what happened. But it seemed Gary passed away. Drew was nowhere to be found. Mary May later that day confessed about her brother being taken away. She blamed Joseph Seed and his brothers being responsible for Gary’s death,-_

    “Anything worth?” Aaron interrupts and looks to his twin brother, who seems to be very interested in their grandfather’s diary.

    “Nothing. But it seems there's a small town called Falls End. I believe that’s where Michael used to go when travelling around Hope County. It seems its former owner's already dead, but maybe we'll be lucky to find his daughter. Mary May Fairgrave.”

    “It’s quite amusing to be here after so many years.”

    “Yeah.” Max closes their grandpa's journal and puts the old book under the chair. “I wonder what’s changed after all this time.”

    The night was dark but serene. The luminous full moon gleamed and illuminated the dusty road, which from the first sight looked twisted and endless. The dark sky was translucent, so the two passengers could easily see the white twinkling stars, giving them some sense of cosiness.

    Everything would seem to go normal, if not the constant creaking of the seat, Max was sitting in. He was continually going back and forth, trying to catch every sight of the picturesque surroundings. Aaron pulled back into the middle lane once the road straightened and slackened his grip on the steering wheel of the black 1980 Kimberlite they both stole, when their own car broke down on their way here.

    Traffic wasn’t that bad, only a few more cars passed them by and a few white trucks with machine guns on them with their drivers and other cultist continuously staring at the two boys. The drive was quiet, neither bothering to irritate one another with talking. Aaron, compared to Max, was glad of the silence covering them, but he knew of his twin brother’s impatience, so, was always ready to hear him complaining about how they both shouldn’t have come here. And truth saying, he saw his brother’s mouth twitching, partly opening and then closing again.

    “Hey, look up there!” And here comes the broken silence. “Looks like they’re heading north.”

    “I see that…” muttered Aaron. He watched the chopper only for a second before he darted to the road. Still, he could feel his brother raising noise what unnerved him. “Can you stop that shit! Hey, I won’t say it again!” He was exasperated by Max’s constant moving back and forth. Of course, it was the first time for both of them to be in this new place, surrounded by stunning high mountain tops far-off their present location, but the movements irritated Aaron, as he was the one to drive this shitty car.

    “If it so annoys you, you shouldn’t have taken it in the first place…. I mean… look at it! It barely moves. And ‘sinner’, what kind of idiot could write this?” muttered Max and looked away, feeling Aaron’s piercing gaze.

    “You know what?! Maybe you should have asked those creepy assheads there for a normal car then? Why in hell didn’t I leave you back there in Missoula…” he shook his head and sighed heavily. “Look, there’s no place for this right now. We need to reach sister before somebody crushed our heads with fucking shovels. Keep your weather eye open, tell me if you see any directions to Falls End or other place.”

    “Fine…” Max murmured and glanced through the windows. “Hey look! Who in hell came up with this shit? Grandpa never told us anything about that sign.” Max pointed at something. And in truth, when Aaron turned his head to Max direction, he could see giant white letters on the top of the hill for all to see.

    “No idea. And I don’t care.”

    “You’re so annoying. If it wasn’t for sis, you would have never convinced me into this.” He shook his head. “I’d rather spend my time learning somethin' new than being here…”

    “Well, yeah. Like that fuckin’ info hacking will give you any idea on how to survive… You should spend less time on that crap.”

    “Now, correct me if I’m wrong. But soccer playing only smashes your brains than gives you any sense of this life. I believe you’re now like Ron.exe stopped working, doing everything on automatic mode.”

    “Yeah, well my muscles here will give more benefits than your brains. You don’t even know how to talk to people, when the only one is called Cortana.”

    “Hey… She’s a digital agent that helps me out with anything I need. Besides, she’s more intelligent than all of those suckers of yours put together.”

    “Mhmmm… Talk to the hand 'cause the face don't give a damn'. I’m not gonna argue with yeah about things you don’t even understand.”

    “Yeah, because you even can’t make a sentence like a normal intelligent person. All brawn and no brain.” Max mumbled. “Hey,” Max suddenly broke the silence. “I think we’re nearing Rae-Rae farm…”

    “What now?” 

    “Just listen…”

**_9th June Hope County, Montana_**

    _Rae-Rae. Very sweet woman, raising dogs in her quite big pumpkin farm in the north of the Holland Valley. Thomas introduced me with her in ‘Spread Eagle’ today. She was talking with Gary about her latest situation. It seemed the youngest Seed brother was bothering her about convincing her to join the Project. Still, I have no idea what this Project was about. When she left, I saw a nice middle-aged dog by her side. She called him Boomer._

    “Boomer, huh?” Aaron raised an eyebrow.

    “It’s written so. Maybe we should ask anyone about that woman. It seems she knows a lot about those brothers.” Aaron scoffed and turned his car towards Whitetail Ranger Park Station.

    “This direction?”

    “It’s written ‘in the north of Holland Valley’, so yeah I guess.”

    After twenty minutes they finally passed a huge farm. They could see a nearby sign saying ‘Rae-Rae’s’.

    It was quiet. The house seemed to be abandoned. Aaron was passing by the front of the house when Max bawled. “Wait, stop the car! Aaron, stop the car!” Aaron immediately slammed on brakes.

    “What’s now? What, need to answer nature’s call or what?”

    “No, you idiot! Look!” Max pointed his finger. It was dark outside, so it was not easy to explain what he saw. “See?” Aaron tried his best to see anything. And there it was, he saw four men walking past the main entrance of the house, dragging a few dead corpses along. A woman and a man with sliced throats and one burnt corpse of an unknown gender. A few seconds later they could see another person following them with his hands tied from behind and a heavily armoured man leading him. They could also hear something barking.

    In truth, they saw a huge cage in the middle of the path between the main house and farm building.

    “Is that M60?” Max panted.

    “Yeah.” Aaron watched the man throwing a hostage to the ground, adjusting him so he was kneeling in front of him. One of the cultists swung around and darted his gaze at them, narrowing his eyes and then quickly nudging another standing right beside him. “We need to get out of here!” He didn’t even know how soundly he shrieked. The only thing they knew was that the heavily armoured man started shooting at the two boys without any warning. A few moments later, nothing was left from the car. “Get out! Move!” Aaron was first to get out of the car while crouching as much as possible and extending his arm to Max. He stood just a bit, so he could see a clearly view of what was happening in the opposite direction. He could see those four men heading towards their car. “Get out! Faster!” …

* * *

    “Hey, rookie… rookie.” She shot a look from the telephone to Sheriff who was carefully studying her face for any indication showing fear. However, it wasn’t here. He knew she was a brave woman, once he met her those years ago in Missoula. From the first sigh,t he could say she was fearless, determined and strong, the way she spoke with other recruits, always having a sense of fight in her. “You’re wasting your time, there’s no signal out here.”

    She could see Marshall’s glimpse at her, before he lowered his eyes as to examine a piece of paper in his hands. She didn’t know Marshall very well. She could only hear through the grapevine that he was a selfish douchebag, always aching for promotions and rewards. Now seeing him so close, made her shiver. She had a bad feeling about this whole operation. Cameron really took everything with a grain of salt. Despite how many times Earl tried to persuade him to not go to an unknown place in the middle of the night with five people only, Marshall was still high on his opinion. At the drop of a hat, he tossed the paper on Sheriff’s desk and demanded his best people to join him in this arrest. So, now they were all here… Sitting in their places in a chopper waiting to meet their fates in the compound of the most dangerous person in this whole county.

    “Crossing over Henbane now.” Staci stated with toneless voice. In her peripheral she could see a giant stone statue proudly standing on the apex of the hill.

    “Oh, gosh. Here he is.” Cringed Joey followed by Staci’s grimace. “Crazy motherfucker.”

    “Jesus…” She could hear a confusion in her boss’s voice when Earl finally looked up at the statue. After a minute Joey informed them about officially being in peggie country.   

    “How much longer?” Marshall’s anticipation to arrest the leader grew every second.

    “There’s long enough time for you to change your mind, Marshall, so we could turn this bird around. Rome was not built in a day, Burke. Don’t rush into doing this…”

    “Unwillingness easily finds an excuse, Sheriff. You want me to ignore this federal warrant, Earl? I put so much effort into getting it not to throw this opportunity away because someone’s scared.”

    “I’m not scared, sir. I want you to understand the reality of this situation. Joseph Seed… he’s not the man to be fucked with. We’ve had runs-in with him before, they haven’t always gone our way. Just… it’s sometimes… sometimes it’s best to leave well enough alone.” The Junior Deputy could see Whitehorse's hands sweating, as he started rubbing them together. He was scared. Maybe not much, but everyone of them, except for Marshal, had a bad feeling about whole this operation.

    “Give them enough rope and they will hang themselves. I’m not going to ignore this any longer. We have laws for a reason, Sheriff. And Joseph Seed is gonna learn that. This story ends up tonight.” Burke countered. The only thing she found interesting about this stubborn man was his determination to finish what he started. Even more, he was a tough guy, an old fox who was not easily snared. Something inside Junior Deputy calmed her down. She trusted her boss, trusted the Marshall and eagerly wanted to believe everything would be fine and she will see her little brothers again.

    “Pratt?” Sheriff addressed to a black-haired guy sitting next to Joey in the front. “Open the call to dispatch.” She could hear his light sighed.

    “Ten-four.” 

* * *

    “Run!” Aaron cried out in panic when he saw the men chasing them.

    “Don’t you see me trying?!” Constant sitting and gazing at computer screen didn’t help Max in the situation like this. He was a bit portly and non-lithe, what scared the shit out of Aaron. He ran towards into the woods constantly looking back if his brother was after him. They didn’t even have any weapons on themselves… He wondered if there was any way they could get rid of them. Of course, Aaron played a lot of video games, but it wasn’t anything like that. ‘COD’ taught him a lot of fighting actions but they were useless if there weren’t any weapons around.

    “Over here!” He carefully descended down the slope towards the still river and spot a boat. “C’mon! Hurry up, you hack master!”

    The so-called peggies were on Max’s heels when he finally appeared in Aaron’s peripheral. He was finished untying knot from the wooden pillar, waiting for his brother and praying to see him alive. “Move!” He called when he saw Max coming down. He could also hear peggies shouting and at one second he thought he heard more trucks pulling this way.

    When he finally reached the edge, he quickly jumped into the boat before pushing it forth.

   “Oh God… What the hell we put ourselves into…” Aaron ran his hand over his face. Max could see his red face and tears filling his eyes. They both were in deep shit and they didn’t even know where their sister was. More importantly, she didn’t know they were here. 

* * *

    “God will not let you take me…” He reassured the three people standing in front of him. Joseph Seed, the so-called ‘Father’ and three others standing behind him were calm. This made the whole process even more terrifying. The Junior Deputy stood only a few feet from the man and still could feel the heat radiating from his half-naked body.  

   “Rookie, cuff this sonavabich.” She wanted so badly to tell him to fuck off and stop calling her rookie. But she knew better, her mother always told her that a closed mouth catches no flies. So, she acquiesced and took the cuffs from her pocket, putting them on both wrists of the Father.

    “Sometimes it’s best to walk away…” Were the last words she could hear before she creeped behind his back, put her right hand on his left shoulder and led him towards the entrance. She didn’t even acknowledge the people standing behind her, but she could feel their gazes piercing through her shaking body.

* * *

    “We need to find help.” Max mouthed.

    “Haven’t seen any directions towards nearest bases. Have you?”

    “There was one place called McClean Residence. To the right of Rae Rae farm. You think we can still find it?” Aaron nodded.

    “But we need to hurry up. It’s only a matter of when they’re gonna find us. I’m not ready to join their fuckin’ cult, are you?”

    “No, of course not.” Max just shakes his head and looks towards. “I can’t believe where we got ourselves in. Elena was right. We shouldn’t poke our noses into not our business. We should have just stayed at home…” Max grunted.

    “And where the fun would be in that?”

    “Fun?!” Max burst with anger. “You find fun in being hunted?! Are you insane?”

     “Look, learn something, alright? Charity begins at home. We came here for our sister. Earl Whitehorse was damn stupid to go there without reinforcements. Look... You’re the brains, I’m the brawn one. We’ll manage.”

    “Maybe.” Max was never very certain about his brother. He was bold for sure, but sometimes it seemed Max highly overestimated the number of the brain cells in him.

    “Dude, relax… Just play along… One way or another we will reach the right people. But beware of Greeks bearing gifts. Don’t let them fool you. Elena said something of how they manipulate on people and later they lose themselves. So… Oh just be yourself.”

    “You have an explanation for everything. But still… better safe than sorry.” Max started squeaking around looking for any indications of people. “How do you think, are the crocodiles in here?”

    “Seriously, dude?” Aaron raised his eyebrow sky-high. “Sometimes I really don’t know whether to laugh at you or pity you.”

    “No, seriously. I mean, what’s really bad can happen in a place like this?”

    “Cougars, definitely. Maybe bears.” Aaron shrugged his shoulders. “Don’t worry so much. You’re just brains. Wild animals have a specific taste.”

   “Really funny.” Max grimaced. They could hear loud voices coming from either direction. “I wish dad was here with us. Like in the past. We were so happy hiking together in the mountains...” Max decided to break the uncomfortable silence. “Do you remember when he took us fishing in Great Falls?”

    “I’m going to cut to the chase, forget him. He left us, he’s never coming back. Now get yourself together, I see a shore in front.”

* * *

    “I told you that God won’t let you take me.” She looked at those pierce blue eyes and in one second she thought she will drown in them. Nancy… _Fucking_ Nancy… She trusted her, thought of her like a mother, always caring for Staci, Joey and her safety. She remembers the times when Staci burst into their small kitchenet in the Department, carrying four paper cups filled with hot coffee from the nearest Starbuck’s. They always laughed together and bare their heart to each other. Now, though, she could only wonder how many things she has told to the Seeds. How much information did they bare in mind when they saw her coming down the aisle. Did they know about her family?

    She didn’t have much time to go through all the thoughts running in her head, when she heard trucks pulling and stopping right next to the other with Joseph standing on its bonnet.

    “Everything is unfolded according to God’s plans. I am still here with you. The First Seal has been broken. The Collapse has begun! And we will take what we need! And we will preserve what we have! And we will kill those who stand our way!” She saw the same three people rounding the Father and looking directly into the eyes of the hostages. “And these…” Joseph and his people turned at them. “The harbingers of doom will see the truth.”

    “We gotta get out of here…” She could hear Hudson crying.

    “BEGIN THE REAPING!” The tall ginger man and his people started approaching the Marshalls. While men began pulling Hudson and Pratt out of the wreckage the ginger’s hands reached for the Junior Deputy, sitting silently as if it would help to be unseen. She felt her heart breaking into shatters when they pulled Joey out and into Joseph’s hands. The same happened to Sheriff and Pratt. She saw everything in peripheral view because all attention was directed to the man boldly reaching for her.

    The last second, she finally unfastens her belt, not noticing what she did all the time, and fell down onto the inner side of the roof. The ginger man was nearly grabbing her ankle when he was stopped by sudden fire blazes overwhelming the wreckage. He quickly jumped back and hid his face with his hands. She took this chance, slid out of the chopper and pushed harder and ran faster to mislead the ones who will go after her. The only thing she remembered was someone’s voice.

    “They’re getting away! Don’t let them get away! Bliss them!” 

* * *

    “Holy crap! Saw that?!” Aaron pointed at the smoke line in the air. “I swear I saw a burning chopper falling down to the ground!”

    “Well, let’s face the music. We’re in a shitty county where shit happens. No surprise.”

    “I’ll be damned. I really saw a fucking chopper going down…” And in that second, they both looked at each other in concern.

    “Elena…” They whispered duo.

    “She was in that damn chopper. I told her not to go. Shitty plan. Five dumbasses going straight to the most dangerous person.” Aaron pushes pebbles and branches with his foot.

    “Yeah. What if anything happened to her?” Max suddenly stops.

    “You’re talking like you don’t know her. Believe me, she’ll be fine.” Aaron hushes his brother’s sobs. “We’re gonna find her before those motherfuckers.”

    “I don’t like these woods.”

    “Me either, Max. Just relax a bit. There must be some people. We’re gonna find a way out.”

    Ten minutes pass and they are still struggling with finding the way out of the woods.

    “You’re gotta be fucking kidding me. Do these woods even end?” Max was tired and groaned with anticipation to find a habitable place.

    “Yeah, soon.” his twin brother doesn't even dare to look at him, while constantly moving forward.

    “Fucking liar.” Max murmured, causing Aaron to stop in his tracks and look at him.

    “Ask me no questions, I’ll tell you no lies. You’re fucking insufferable.”

    “Well you know how it’s said, courtesy is contagious.”

    “Courtesy is contagious...” he reiterated. “Remind me to smash your head into the nearest wall if you see one. We really need to get rid of your dumbass. You should read less trash and spend more time getting to know the world. Or are you gonna date your computer?” Max just scoffs.

    “Well, better than constantly break-up with every damn woman you managed to date for less than two weeks.” Aaron rolls his eyes, not daring to look into Max eyes.

    “Let’s keep going.”

    It takes them another ten minutes before they reach the main road. The first thing they see is lots of crates and a sign saying ‘House for sale by owner. Desperate.’

    “I think it’s McClean Residence.” Max whispers.

    “It’s abandoned. I don’t think we’re gonna find a telephone or something.”

    “Well, there’s a pickup over there!” Max points to a 1981 Hillside 1600. “Nice one.”

    “Yeah.” Aaron takes a lead towards the cabin, looking to all sides in case a cult truck appeared. “Keep up with me. Don’t get lost.”

    They somehow manage to get to the yard without anyone noticing. While Aaron checks the pickup, Max wanders around the cabin, searching for any helpful supplies. “Look,” he calls. “Looks like the former owners left Hope County, when Faith Seed took charge of Henbane River.” He extends his hand with a small piece of paper.

_Dear June,_

_If you ever find this letter, I want you to know that me and Claire were trying to get out of here. Faith Seed’s men just took most of the residences in Henbane. It’s only a question when they are going to take ours. We’re not gonna let her convert us into those goddamn Angels. We’re leaving. Wish you all the best!_

_J. &C. McClean_

    “Angels?” Aaron raises an eyebrow. “Who in hell are these?” Max widens his eyes and shakes his head.

    “I hope we’ll get answers soon. I don’t like being here, believe me.” Suddenly both guys hear something crunching. Aaron raises his eyes and meets a truck coming their way. “Max! Kneel down!”

    They both lower to the ground level. But the pickup doesn’t pass them by. It stops on just at the gates and two peggies steps out of it.

    “Let’s take these mattresses to John’s bunker. Faith’s orders.” They can hear one peggie talking to another. Aaron shushes Max and takes a step towards one peggie, standing with his back to the boys, while the other heads towards the mattresses. He silently grabs him by his neck and twists, what shocks Max. Another peggie turns around and starts shouting when he sees his buddy lying on the ground. But before he unholsters his handgun and takes his radio to his mouth, Max slams a shovel to his head.

    “Nice hit,” Aaron compliments his brother and takes the AR-C. “Take that one’s pistol. We need to gear up if we want to take our asses out of here without any scratch.” Max nods to his brother, takes the P226 and heads to the passenger’s seat.

    The drive is quiet again. Both boys watching the surroundings for any surprises. They can see a few bears chasing deer, when suddenly they turn into cougars.

    “The hell was that!” Max shouts and Aaron makes an ugly confusing face.

    “If only I knew. Weird shit. What was written about Henbane in grandpa’s diary?”

    “He wrote something about a material called Bliss. That’s how locals call it. It makes you hallucinate and see unreal things.”

    They near a medium sized lake when they see a bald person in white clothes and mask, hiding half of his face, and a peggie. There’s also a man with his hands restrained from behind him. Aaron pulls the truck to the side of the road and motions Max to surround them from behind, while he slowly heads from their left, always aiming at the peggie’s head. When he suddenly turns and sees Aaron, he quickly shots him in his head, what draws the other one’s attention. He’s glowing in green, his eyes are very bright green as well. But he’s not daring moving. In fact, he’s moving weirdly.

    Max quietly approaches him and snaps his head.

    “That was a great headshot, dude,” the hostage says while Max liberates him. “Thanks. I’m Lucas Nichols. These damn brainless Angels. Fuck. Are you with Resistance?”

    “No, I mean, we’re just appeared here by accident.” Max shutters.

    “Anyone who wants to fight with Resistance, should go to county jail. That’s where the action is. I heard some peggies saying that the recently arrived Sheriff escaped the reaping and is now helping people in there.”

    “Sheriff? Earl Whitehorse?” Max asks, coming closer.

    “I dunno. I heard this peggie you killed, saying that all cultists are now trying to find one deputy who escaped. The US Marshal was caught when John Seed bombarded the bridge. It looks like the Junior Deputy, how they call her, is now somewhere hiding. I heard John and Jacob Seed sent their best people in their regions to find her.”

    “It must be our sister.” Aaron explains.

    “Well, I’m sorry, dudes. It’s not safe for anyone here. I can’t tell if you’re gonna see her again. The cult separated lovers, families. They took children and killed a lot of men, capable of fighting. My own sister Jannet is taken. I wonder if she’s a peggie now.”

    “I’m sorry.” Max puts his own hand on Lucas shoulder.

    “Seeds are terrible monsters. One worse than the other. Jacob forces his recruits to kill their families to prove they’re worthy to be called Chosen. John, as I heard, kidnaps people and forces them to confess. He carves sins into their skin and then cuts them out. But don’t underestimate Faith Seed. Maybe she looks like a young innocent woman. But she’s dangerous too. Never believe anything she says. She’s a liar, a manipulator. Just, so you know, dudes.”

    Aaron and Max nods in unison and Lucas takes his own rifle. “I’ll leave you here. I suggest you to go to jail. You’ll find help there. Just follow the map,” He takes a folded piece of map from his pocket. “You need it more than me. Bye guys.” And with that he disappears in the woods, leaving two boys taking care of themselves.

    "Could have at least offered a snack," Max shrugs and Aaron shakes his head.

    "C'mon, let's go."

* * *

    One and a half day passes and she still struggles with her breathing. Liberating Dutch island was neither easy nor hard. But now she was finally out of it, ready to fight alongside with other Resistance members in Henbane River. She decided not to go after John or Jacob first. They were intimidating, that’s for sure. Somehow, she believed Faith was easier to be coped with. She looked to her map. _Eden’s Convent_. Kilometre away from her present location.

    It was important to liberate this outpost, before more people were captured. When she first passed the giant statue by, she could see some people jumping from it. She wasn’t sure whether they were trying to commit suicide or what. She didn’t want to imagine herself jumping from the statue and snapping her own neck, while on high dosage of bliss. Liberating this outpost was easy. Angels didn't even notice her presence, while she quickly took down the snipers. 

    Later she planned to move to Moonflower Trailer Park to help a guy named Sharky Boshaw. Dutch warned her about his strange obsession with fire, but more people meant greater resistance against Seeds. What she didn’t know was that she and her brothers were going on opposite directions in the same region. 

    It took like half of hour for the Deputy to take the place where most devoted relax and spend their time after walking the Pilgrimages. Then she takes the weaponized truck and heads to Sharky’s place. She walks over the hill and takes her binoculars. She sees a dumbass putting everything on fire and she recognizes the man. She saw the wanted poster with the man’s face on it. _Wanted for being a pyromaniac_. A few weeks ago, and she would be arrested for helping him, but everything’s changed once she stepped out of Dutch bunker. She is no longer Deputy, despite everyone calling her by her title. She now approves it just as her nickname.

    If anyone would have told her how dumb she would be once she met Sharky, she would have never believed. But now, everyone could see how inseparable this pair can be. After helping Sharky with the goddamn Angels, they both start their way towards the Peaches Taxidermy.

    “Hey, Popo. When this is over. Are we still gonna be friends?”

    “Sharky, you’re the best guy I’ve ever met.” She smiles at her new buddy. “If that so-called Collapse comes, we’re gonna be the two to enter the next world and kick the asses of the future shitheads together.”

    “Oh, if that’s not the cutest thing you’ve ever said, Popo. Hey, besides… do me a kindness, don’t go blabbin’ to everybody ‘bout my love for disco music. I mean… I’m not ashamed or nothin’. It’s the greatest music ever created and I do believe it will come back one day.But until that glorious day, just keep it under your stetson.”

    “Your secrets are safe with me, Shark. Just, so you know.”

    “I’ma be honest with ya. I haven’t always had the best relationship with law enforcement. I mean they kinda just generally takes issues with how I conduct my life. Ya know, with fires and other stuff. Even public masturbation. Even though, it’s in my car, is that really public?”

    “Geez, Sharky. I’m not the specialist in such stuff, you should ask Johnny, since he really knows what is public and what’s not.”

    “Ah, whatever, I’m just saying you’re a good cop. You know what you are? You’ve one of the cops they talk about on news and stuff after they bust a dirty cop and they’re like, you know, not all cops are like this, some cops are good people. Well, that’s you. You’re the good cop.”

    “Nice try, Sharky. But I doubt they’re gonna let ya go once this ends. Even I wouldn’t be able to contradict any proves they have against you.”

    “Girl, I tell ya, things have to change right… at least I hope they do. We’re gonna be Heroes. You, me and our baby.”

    “What baby?” She stops in her tracks and raises her eyebrow.

    “This baby.” He shows his flamethrower. She sighs with relief. She can only imagine what her friends and Sheriff would tell her if she and Sharky crossed the boundaries of their friendship and he knocked her up. That would be a mess. _‘Never let yourself get drunk around Sharky. At least not alone_ ,’ she reminds herself.

    They spend half of the day trying to find the damn cat. And it takes a few more hours to get back to Miss Maple, who appears to be so arrogant even when her Peaches comes back. Elena quickly interrupts the conversation with the woman, not wanting to hear about her complains.

    “I thought I’d never see you again. Well… Just take this goddamn cat and take care of it.” And with that she is left with her buddy and a cat she starts calling KitKat. They move towards their pickup and Sharky takes the passengers seat.

    “Never wore a seatbelt before, not about to start now.”

    “Twenty bucks from you, buddy.” She makes a grin.

    “Wait, what?” She can swear he's confused.

    “Remember, I’m still a cop.” She smiles and Sharky laughs. “Well, shit, we have a problem!”

    “Ya, troubles just follow me wherever I go.”

    “No! Look behind us!” Sharky turns around and sees two peggie trucks coming their way. “Shark, take the mounted gun! C’mon!” He nods once and slips from the front seat to the back.

    “Oh man! Here they coo-oome!” He sings out the last word and mounts the gun. “Okeydokey!” He shouts and starts shooting at the peggie trucks. “Damn! It’s even funnier than Tour de France!” The Deputy starts twisting to the different roads but it seems peggies are not going to leave them so easily.

    “Use dynamite!” She screams and throws them to Sharky who’s just lucky to grab them.

    “Kickin’ ass, man. That ain’t just a song I wrote. It’s the way I live! Yaaaaah!” He reloads and continues shooting. “Hangin’ out with ya, Popo! Savin’ Hope County like this! It’s absolutely brilliant!” The first convoy explodes in just a minute and the second one is forced to stop. “Hell yeaaaaah!” He shouts and unmounts, slipping back to the front seat. “That was aweeee-soooome! Can we repeat that?!”

    “Later, Sharky… We still have so much work to do.”

 

    Apparently, it took only three days for her to hire new people into her ally. Adelaide Drubman, Sharky Boshaw and amazing kitty cougar Peaches. That was how a crazy super four should have looked. Elena was still quite afraid to face the eldest Seed right now. She was told by Dutch to get rid of Jacob as soon as possible, as the Eden’s Gate army expanded every day. His new trainees were capable of more damn things and it was harder for Eli and his Militia to fight Jacob back. But the Deputy just couldn’t find enough boldness to get to the mountains. So, she sent orders for Sharky and Addie to move to the Whitetail Mountains and save Jess Black and Addie’s son.

    She knew, once she stepped into the Soldier’s region, she would be immediately in his radar. Who knew, maybe he was already picking information about her and checking his sibling’s reports. Sure thing, there had to be enough papers for Joseph to read of what happened in henbane. She was half-way to Holland Valley for the first time, when her radio crackled to life.

    _“Sharky Boshaw and Adelaide Drubman. Really, Deputy?”_ It was Dutch voice. _“I hope you’re already informed about the hell they caused in Jacob’s region. Yeah, they somehow managed to get Jess out, and I’m grateful for that, but that dumbass put everything on fire…”_

    “What can I say, Dutch.” She grabbed her radio. “It’s Charlemagne Victor Boshaw IV.”

    _“The alarms were put on. The best thing is that Hurk was together with them. He managed to destroy some of Jacob’s helicopters. But you should have seen the fireworks caused by that pyromaniac.”_

    “Your niece is safe. That’s all what matters, Dutch. Over.” She quickly looks at Sharky who's just staring through the window at the surroundings, looking for any peggies to show up.

    _“Well, I don’t think Jacob was very happy seeing that. I heard from Eli that he sent more of his Chosen to the woods, just in case you showed up. Seems he wants to teach you a lesson.”_

    “Great that I’m not there at the moment. Over.”

    _“If you decide to show up in the Mountains. Just give me a call, Deputy. I ain’t joking. You must be careful. We can't afford to lose ya.”_

     “Four-ten, Dutch. Over and out.” ‘Well, shit,’ she thinks. She got Jacob’s attention and he definitely wasn’t happy about what has happened in his region. She was on the bridge when she saw a few posters saying ‘We love you’, ‘We’ll take you’, ‘Welcome to Holland Valley’. 

    John, sure as hell, knew how to take someone’s attention. While crossing the bridge, she has already been introduced with the scenery. It wasn’t as breathtaking as the mountains. Plain, forest, a few river, crossing with each other and red huge silos that should have meant something. And she was sure she would find some activities here as well.

* * *

    They heard shots and saw peggies running back and forth. Max and Aaron decided quietly pass them by and use some trucks to get to the inside. There were some people, who didn’t look like peggies. Aaron shot a few peggies in their back while Max climbed upwards. When the shots silenced they got down and approached the black-skinned woman in blue hood.

    “We’re Max and Aaron Meyers. Where’s Sheriff?”

    “Max? Aaron?” They heard a familiar voice. “The hell are you two doin’ here?” He grabbed Aaron by his hand and hugged him tightly. “I’ll be damned. Does Rook know you two are here?”

    “Nope. We’re afraid she doesn’t.” Max answers quietly.

    “Stupid boys. You shouldn’t have interfered. This shit gets worse. It’s a goddamn Holy war…”

    “You put our sis in danger. The hell you all thought, sending five people out there?!” Aaron started shouting at the Sheriff.

    “I didn’t know what was supposed to happen. Marshal was ready to do it. He was the boss.”

    “And where the hell he’s now?”

    “Faith Seed took him when he and Rook escaped the reaping whole process. It seems Rook is somewhere out there, causing a run of money for the Seeds. I heard some reports about her constantly disappearing from Faith's radar. It seems she has hard time dealing with the damage caused by our Rookie's hand.”

    “So, Elena is the one causing the hell out to them?” Max widened his eyes when Earl nodded.

    “I always knew your sister was much more than a Deputy. She’ll be fine. Now get over here, we need to talk.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Deputy makes new friends and it doesn't seem Seeds are very happy about that

    Faith spends days planning her next moves. She even skips two of family dinners in John’s ranch, with what Joseph isn't very happy. But truth to be told, Faith doesn't care about that at the moment. She struggles with her belief and feelings.

    It's the third time Joseph warns her to not allow the Deputy to cause more damage. And she constantly fails. She knew he was going to punish her. But what scared her more, was that at any time he could dispose of her and replace her with another Faith. Each time she’s done anything for him, she always fought a war inside her. Just the first time she saw the Deputy. Faith saw the hesitation in the Deputy's eyes when Marshal ordered for her to arrest Joseph. She saw her eyes rolling back and forth, looking from Marshal to Sheriff, then glancing at her brothers. Even being called a stone heart villain she looked at the young woman with pity. She didn't even know where she got herself into.

    When Nancy first called them about the newest changes in the Department, she told them about a new Deputy they called _rookie,_ who wasn't particularly skilled. Sheriff Whitehorse kept whole information about her exclusively closed from anyone's eyes as it seemed to be very important. Nancy didn't tell anything useful except that she never got along with Pratt very much. No one really knew the reasons, no one actually noticed that except for Nancy. They were just co-workers, mainly talking about their duties and all in formal. Sometimes Pratt made friendly steps towards her but it always ended up with a simple 'thanks'. Nancy kept pushing the Junior Deputy to open and tell her about what happened but she always pushed the question aside.

    When Faith looked into the eyes of the young woman, she saw her being hurt. It doesn't take long for a person to feel other's pain if you went through it before. And she knew it pretty well. Not wanting to keep looking at the young woman, she averted her gaze to look into the two men, forcing her to make the most terrible mistake in her life. At that moment, she tried to understand how this young woman can be such a pain in the ass Joseph foresaw.

 

    Well... She finally found this out. And even two days didn't pass as she learnt about the newest reports of the damage caused in Dutch island. It was a question when she moved this chaos to Henbane. After Seeds heard about Dutch island to be liberated, no one had a word with each other. Jacob quickly moved to his fortress in Mountains expanding his army with new recruits, while John carried on with his own duties in Holland Valley, taking supplies from the locals and forcing them to be Cleansed to see the truth.

    Faith would never admit, but the distance between her and her 'adopted' siblings made her life hard. Not only did she betray everyone, hurt her friends and lost her previous life... The new life she was given was not any better. Both her brothers had no slightest concern about their sister’s feelings. If she got missing, no one will care about her much. If only she didn’t let Joseph compel her to join his Project. Sometimes, she misses Tracey Lader. After all, they were good friends and she was the one who has never bullied her. Now, though, even Tracey wished her death.

    All the events in Henbane led her to the present day. When she got the last reports about the Deputy's sudden absence in Henbane, she took her time and visited her most devoted followers in Jessop’s Conservatory. Some of them were already losing their faiths and Faith had to prove them everything's gonna be okay, even if that meant she had to drug them. She saw some of the Angels taking care of the greenhouses full of Bliss flowers, while her other followers were working inside.

    She got in the main room and read the notes on how the development and cultivation of nightshade strains were going on. That's when she spot a small box, laying innocently on the shelf. She knew exactly what was inside: her past and her present. A lightly green pendant she got from Tracey on her seventeenth birthday that had significant meaning of their friendship, and flower crown she wore the day she was 'reborn'. She will always remember that day she made her biggest mistake. The first mistake was to believe in anything Joseph Seed told her; the second to let him manipulate her and force her to lie to everyone she saw in her way.

    But the Deputy wasn't that stupid. She was stubborn and strong, even if Jacob never believed in the latter. What was worse, the Deputy befriended Sharky Boshaw and Adelaide Drubman. Their close friendship didn't allow Faith to relax even for a minute, as she constantly got reports about sudden fires coming from different places. Moreover, with every word coming from their mouths, the Deputy got distant. There was no way she could be converted willingly. There was only one way to make her comply - she had to become an _Angel_. And this idea made her sick.

    However, sometimes she envied her, especially because of how Joseph wanted her to be a member of his family. She started wondering if he saw her as the new Faith, but one night, when she was very upset and went to Joseph's church, she finally linked the ends in her head. Till present she holds the biggest secrets of the middle Seed, as she understands that no one will ever believe anything she says. So, she has to hide the feelings before someone noticed. She could not let anyone feel there was any discordance in between Seed siblings. She wipes her tear away and takes a small photograph of her seventeenth birthday. It's her and Tracey, sitting on the edge of her bed, with Rachel's head leaning against her shoulder. A beautiful memory she will keep and bring to her own grave.

    She also won't forget that this was the day she met Joseph for the first time. She can’t remember when the last time was when she happily celebrated anything with her parents, except this time, as they were very focused on preparing for Father’s sermons. Tracey was also a member of this so-called religious cult and promised to meet with her at the church.

    “Rachel, wear this,” her mother brought her a white dress with little flowers. “And be polite. Least we need is for the Father to be disappointed with you.”

    “And don’t you dare say anything to the Father about the punishments.” Her father reminded her. “We don’t need any questions. Do you understand?” She always responded with nod and kept her mouth shut. Any disobedience led to being punished and she didn’t want this on her birthday. She dressed up in that dress and put her hair in a bun, looking at the mirror, when suddenly her father shouted: "Are you asleep! Get over there!"

    When finally they arrived at the sermon's, they were a bit late and she knew once they got back home, she would be punished. She once again disrespected her parents and they were not gonna let that slip by. The front rows were fully crowded with people, so they had to take the last seats. She could see his two brothers standing on the both sides, watching over Joseph Seed protectively. At one moment she began to shiver, as the Father looked directly at her and smiled. When the sermons were over, she left standing with her parents waiting for Tracey to meet her.

    But unexpectedly she was met with Joseph instead. He approached the Jessops and shook hands with Rachel’s parents. Then the Father smiled at the young girl. “You look astonishing, dear Rachel.”

    “Thank you, Father.” She lowers her head.

    "I'd like to speak with your daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Jessops," he says and takes the young girl's hand in his, leading them to a near lake. “I heard a lot about you, my child. I haven't seen such a dedicated person before and it made me think. As you know, we've lost our dear sister Faith. We need someone to take her role and take care of out blissful followers.” He turns to look at her and smiles. "I know what you endured, my child. I know what you've done before. But I also know that you can still be saved. Your loyalty, your faith, you're special, Rachel." She nearly blushes when he so sweetly calls her by her name. "Do you have faith in me, child?"

    She looks at his eyes for a second, searching for any lies. He takes her hand and softly brushes his thumb over it. "I know you have some doubts. But let me lead you. Let me show you the truth, Rachel." She thinks for a second before she raises her eyes to meet his.

    "Yes, Father." With these words he takes something from his pocket and whiffs something into her face. And she sees the other life, a world that is happier and safer for everybody. He stands with her under the tree and sits on the ground, leaning their backs.

    "The world is gonna end soon, Faith." _Faith_ he calls her like this for the first time. "And we have to save this world. You have to walk the path and lead the others, not let anyone stray from the righteous path God showed us."

    "Yes, Father." She says without hesitation. They both walk into the fields of flowers, Joseph showing her how perfect the world will be once they enter Eden's Gate.

    "And when the Collapse will come, together we'll marched through Eden's Gate." And with these words Joseph leads her back to her parents, who look at their daughter in shock.

   "What happened?" Mrs. Jessop takes her face into her palms and looks deeply into her eyes, which are now glowing white.

   "She was shown the truth, Mrs. Jessop. I've given her a chance to prove herself and to lead our most devoted to the new Eden."

    Mr. Jessop moves past his daughter and stands in front of Joseph. “No way I’m gonna let her become Faith.”

    “Relax, Jessop.” John appears from behind Joseph and grins. “I’m pretty sure Rachel can answer for herself.” Rachel Jessop never felt more special than that day. She heard a lot about Seed family and being noticed by the Father was the best birthday gift.

    “I’d be honoured, Father.” She smiled and her mother grabbed her by her forearm.

    That day Rachel was locked in her room before her father beat her with his belt. She cried all night thinking about how Joseph Seed was going to save her from this hell. Since then they forbade Rachel to near his church. They even left the Project and decided to leave whole Hope County. But she still found other ways to attend the sermons. For that she had to constantly lie.

    Weeks passed like this until she finally decided to talk with Joseph. She was sitting in the first row in his church. Everyone of his followers has already left the sermons and she was waiting for the Father to close his book.

    “My dear child,” he approached her and sat next to her. “I’m glad you’re still here, Rachel.”

    “I was thinking about the last time we talked. I know my parents would be against this, but, Father, I’m ready to follow you wherever you go. Do whatever you tell me to do. I’m ready to take Faith’s role.” He nodded and smiled at the young woman.

    “I have faith in you, my child.” He then leaned his forehead against hers and kissed it. Next day, she left her home telling her parents if she could visit local shop to buy a gift to Tracey. Instead, she visited church and left it together with the Father and they both moved to the nearest lake. She was wearing the same dress her mother gifted her. Some of his followers already poured the same green liquid into the water. She saw it during other people cleansing session. He came close to her and put his warm hands one on her small back and the other around her collarbone.

    "Trust me, child." He smiles and lowers her below the surface. She is too scared of what is going to happen, so she tightly shuts her eyes and inhales deeply before she is lowered under the surface. However, when he helps her to stand up, she still can feel effects of bliss. She feels dizzy and her head aches.

    "Do you see now?" He looks into her eyes and frowns.

    "Yes, Father. I see the glorious world that is waiting for us." She says with hesitation, not knowing if he's going to believe it. But he smiles and she sighs heavily. For long years, the Father believed she forgot who she was, when in fact, nothing has left her. She still remembers everyone she left. She still remembers the faces of her parents. Every day she feels the pain they inflicted on her.

    That day she emerged from the water as new ‘Faith’ Seed. Everyone's happy with the new sister in their Project except John and Jacob. Yes, John was there, standing on the shore waiting to greet his new _sister_. Jacob, on the other hand, was standing as far as he could. He never really liked any of those ceremonies. He was there only for Joseph. 

 

    Years passed after this ceremony and she has already felt aloofness. One night she was sleeping in her residence, when John called her, telling about newest Joseph's vision. She knew better than to disobey, so she quickly took a few of her men and went to John's ranch.

    “I got a vision, my siblings. The Collapse will soon come and we need to finish preparing for this. Yesterday, I heard a Voice. It was vague but I could recognize what He said to me. There would be a woman.” Jacob almost started laughing but Joseph looked at him with a serious face. “I couldn’t clearly see her face, but when she opened her eyes, I saw fire, persistence, wrath… She’s gonna bring destruction alongside her. She’s gonna cause countless of women to be widows, countless of children to be orphans. There’s not gonna be peace.”

    “There’s nothing my hunters can’t handle,” said Jacob and stood from his spot.

    “Don’t underestimate that woman. She’s not gonna be easy to save but we can’t lose faith.”

    "Conditioning will make her compliant, believe me," the eldest Seed assures his brother and takes his rifle, slinging it over his shoulder. "If that's all you called me out, I'm gonna go. I have some work. Eli and his Militia is still trying to get through us and destroy the Project from the inside. Last week I captured some of his men trying to sneak in our compound. He's a bigger threat now."

     "And what if I tell you this Deputy can be a key to all your troubles?" Joseph stands from his seat and turns to his brother, raising an eyebrow. It doesn't take long for him to respond, as he quickly glances to Joseph.

    "Continue."

 

    Faith is quickly brought back to the present, when she hears one of her VIP's coming to the room. She quickly puts the photo back and shoves it into the locker. 

    “Sister Faith,” her right-hand Julian Cobalt interfered with her thoughts. “Father is asking for you.” She reached for the radio and pushed the button.

    “Father, I’m listening.” She says calmly.

    _“Faith. I can’t say I’m very happy about the reports I’ve been sent by your people.”_

    “I tried my best, Father. I won’t let that happen again. I promise.” She lowers her head, quietly praying for him not to punish her.

    _“You’ve done mistake by mistake. You do understand that your actions have consequences, Faith?”_ She sighs.

    “Of course, Father.”

    _“This time is the last I let that slip by. Next time I won’t be that merciful.”_ She puts the radio back on the table and leans against the chair rolls. ‘Deputy, please. You need to understand. Please…' She closes her eyes and inhales heavily, trying to quieter her sobbing. 

* * *

    John, as it seems, has hard time too. He is trying his best not to let his sin interfere with his feelings. He deeply hates the Junior Deputy and wants to destroy her. But Joseph… for whatever reason, he wants the Deputy alive. He never talks with John about serious matters, he just gives simple orders and leaves. It hurts John very much. He always sees Joseph being proud of their eldest brother, praising him, touching their foreheads almost every time they meet. Even if Jacob doesn't always comply to Joseph, even if he always does how he thinks is right, Joseph still trusts him more than him.

    His and Joseph’s relationship is different. Since Joseph met John and left Georgia, relocating here, he’s changed. He is constantly disappointed of John’s actions, behaviour and appearance. “Your sin is Greed,” and John can’t say anything but ‘Yes’. “You disappointed me, John,” and John lowers his head apologizing. “Your sin is Sloth,” he says while carving his sin onto John’s chest, and John admits it. Sometimes he doesn’t understand why he is always behind. He was the one who gave up so many things in his life. He was the wealthy one to buy all the lands, to buy the equipment and everything what was needed for the Project. Only because of his face, so many people decided to join the project. But for whatever reason, Joseph was still angry and disappointed.

    Deeply inside John knows it is not the fault of the Deputy. But seeing how he looks at the young woman, makes him sick. She is nothing to them, even if Joseph believes of her being a part of their family. She wasn’t there when they started the project. She is Hell, the one who causes destruction. But at the same time she is so remarkable and special. From the first look he felt something burning in his chest. The look in her eyes, her appearance, her curvy lines, black long hair, everything was so perfect, so pure. He would have never let himself believe she could do anything harmful. But, like always, he was wrong underestimating a woman from the first sight.

    When she finally stepped into his lands, he was already prepared and sent some trucks to capture the Deputy for the Cleansing. He didn’t even waste his time radioing and telling her that, but somehow she managed to destroy the trucks by herself. Later that day he heard about her sudden presence in Rae-Rae farm and release of  Boomer. He was so happy when his people captured that damn dog. He thought maybe this gift to his eldest brother will raise his status in Joseph’s eyes. Jacob was fighting Eli Palmer and this dog could help him. But… again, the damn woman destroyed all his plans. It was just a question when she will reunite with Jerome and Mary May, even worse with Ryes and enter his Ranch. Joseph would be so angry if the only place they used for family gathering was taken from John’s hands. He was sure Joseph would never forgive him and carve more sins onto his body.

    What he didn’t know was that his adopted sister was petrified too. They both didn’t know what to do once the Deputy started getting more and more reputation among the flock. The Resistance started calling her the _Hero_ , what made Jacob laugh. But Faith and John, they both knew she was the Hero, who somehow managed to stand the ground against them. 

* * *

    Jacob, on the other hand, always had doubts about the Deputy. He hasn’t seen why she was so special and was determined to make her a truly worth soldier. He wanted to laugh when he saw her in the church in the middle of the night. She wasn’t something that could stand even a few minutes against him. But somehow, as the time passed, she was found to not be that dumb. She knew who was the alpha and she strategically did everything to avoid confrontation.

    However, what surprised him, was how the two dumb people could liberate Lumber Mill and get to the Hurk’s Gate without being spotted. He was pretty sure the Deputy was with them, as soon as the reports were flying to his office about Hurk Jr. taken back his truck ‘Nancy’. But as he watched the CCTVs, he saw no proof of Deputy being around. Either she was hiding or she was just not here. Either ways she was a _coward_. 

    Everything became clear when John radioed him, saying about Deputy’s sudden presence in Holland Valley and liberating Rae-Rae’s dog Boomer. Jacob was very angry of this action. He has already planned using Boomer against Resistance and most importantly for finding Wolf’s Den. Now he needed other plans. He has already known she was a tool to eliminate Eli Palmer, and he was more than glad to invest his time into sculpting her into a killing machine that would destroy the whole operation of the Militia without them being informed.

    He was ready to play this little hunt game. The only thing he needed – was the Deputy’s arrival to his region. Just one step and he will have her in his hands. Since that day, he swore to himself to not allow her hurt John or Joseph. He always wanted to see his youngest brother happy and he would gladly sacrifice everything he had to make sure he was safe. On the other hand, part of him wanted so desperately to kill the Junior deputy. But Joseph was the reason she was still breathing. He heard enough of what she’s done in Henbane and she was proving herself for the Resistance in Holland Valley now. It was a matter of when she will finally give in and move towards Mountains.

    He needed a plan, he had to find out everything about this mysterious woman. And the only key to this was her fellow Pratt.

    “Peaches!” He called the former Deputy by his nickname. He saw his handiwork: bruises on the Deputy's neck, broken nose, split blood lip. It was so strange and so exciting to see someone like him being so broken.

    “Yes, si-ir,” he answers obediently.

    “What do ya know about our little trouble-maker, huh?” He sits calmly in his seat and scans through the newest reports.

    “I don’t know, sir. I didn't really have time to speak with her.” Jacob raises his head narrowing his eyebrows and it makes Pratt shake.

    “Anything important? Family? Her past?”

    “I don’t know about her family." _Liar_. "But I'm pretty sure she's not gonna come here.”

    “Mmhmm.” He mumbles. “We'll see. Any idea how we can lure her to the Mountains?”

    “There’s nothing she would come for.”

    “And you?” Jacob raises an eyebrow.

    “I’m nothing to her. She hates my guts.” He simply answers, not daring to look at the boss. It seems Pratt was useless. He needed other plan to lure her out from Holland Valley.

    "Get out!" He barks at the young man and slams his fist into the desk.

* * *

    New morning came very quickly. It was nearly sunset and she was already ready to leave the cabin in the woods she found a day ago, while wandering in the forest of Holland Valley. She has found a few eggs and sausages and made a small portion of breakfast. That day she didn’t call her friends and went straight to Gardenview Packing Facility.

    She took peggies by surprise while they were working with the stuff. It also surprised her that Boomer had amazing vision and alerted her with any peggy presence by barking. Peggies, obviously, noticed the dog but didn’t pay any attention as it wasn’t attacking them. It wasn’t hard. On her half-way she got a radio call from Addie, telling her that all work has been done in Jacob’s region and that Dutch niece and her son were safe.

    Of course, Jacob wasn’t pleased with the sudden intrusion of the two biggest idiots in this whole county, so he sent orders for his hunters to catch them on sight. But, as Sharky and Addie were just on the borders to Henbane, they quickly got there, leaving Jacob Seed with nothing. She exhaled and carried on doing what she started. A few minutes later the Facility was in Resistance hands and she didn’t hesitate to tell it to anyone listening her.

    “Gardenview is ours, boys and girls! Next on the list-… nah, not gonna say it aloud. Let it be a surprise! Just wanted to let you know that Resistance will have everything those cultists took from you! That's a promise, guys!” She clipped her radio back on her belt and decided to spend some time in Gardenview, helping the Resistance people bringing supplies in.

    It was nearly down when she found a road leading to Falls End. But she was too tired to fight at that moment. She stole a nearby 1999 Hayai Stryus ZRP, comfortably settled down and took her radio.

    “Hey Sharky, you there?”

    _“Yeah, Popo. Always stay alert when I‘m not here to protect you.“_

    “Sure thing, bro. Do you mind meeting me in Holland Valley? I’m near Falls End. Just… don’t wanna stay alone right now.” She puts her rifle back on the back seat and jumps on the bonnet, leaning against the window.

    _“I'd give your cat some catnip but I just smoked it all...does she like weed? I got plenty of that."_ She could hear an unfamiliar voice.

    “Who is that? And what the hell are you doing near Peaches?”

    _“Hurk, man. And that KitKat is as fun as my whole life that just flashed before my eyes. You know… kinda exciting to be in your team, dude."_ Some time passes before she can hear him again. _"I’m gonna reach into that there cooler, see if we have any cans of woop ass left and pass me a beer if there's one.”_

    “Where are you both?” she scolds them both.

    _“Don’t tell her. Don’t… Don’t.”_ She could hear Sharky’s mumbles.

    “The hell is wrong with you? Answer the question. I need you both in here.” 

    _“They don’t know that we know that they know nothing about where we are. Calm down, cuz.”_ The Deputy just rolls her eyes.

    “Everyone’s entitled to act stupid, but you’re really abusing any privileges right now. Will you just cut off this shit and come over here?” The radio goes static for a few more minutes before she hears Sharky's voice again.

    “ _Oh... okay..."_ She hears Sharky muttering. _"So, where are you exactly?"_

    "South road from Falls End." She sighs.

  _"Gonna be in ten."_

    “Don’t care when. Bring your asses here, now!”

    She was sitting on the bonnet looking how the sun sank down in the horizon, while waiting for her friends, when her radio buzzled. “Deputy Meyers here. Over.”

    _“Sin is pervasive. It drives us to do unspeakable acts.”_ She hears a familiar voice. She starts thinking of who was the owner of it when she suddenly remembers the broadcast Dutch showed her before she left his island.

    “Really, John? Really?” She rolls her eyes and sighs.

    _“I know the sins that drive you. I know them intimately. But I can help you, Deputy…”_

    She chuckles and tosses the radio next to her.

    _“I can wash away these sins… I can cleanse your soul. It will be difficult and it will painful, but… it will be worth it. My people will come for you. They will bring you to me. Don’t fight it. Because the harder you resist, well – the harder we’ll have to scrub your soul…”_

    “You Seeds really love the sound of your own voice, huh?” She pushes the button and speaks loudly but no answer comes from the other end. It takes twenty minutes for Sharky and Hurk to arrive and once they’re there with her, they all sit on the bonnet, drinking hot cocoa.

    “That song is a good one,” Sharky says while sipping from the paper cup, listening to 'The world is gonna end tonight'.

    “Yeah, ya know, man, it’s better than listenin’ to ‘Oh John’… Listening to it awakes weird thoughts in my head.”

    “Geez, Hurk. That was… that was really not… for this moment ya know.” She shakes her head, while taking another sip of her cocoa.

    “’Sides. John's called.” They both raised their eyebrows at her.

    “Johnny Law?” Sharky was shocked.

    “Yeah. He said somethin’ about knowing my sin intimately. About goin’ to cleanse my soul and about his people comin’ for me. Nothin’ important, really.” She takes another sip.

    “Damn, Popo. It means bad. I heard John capturing people. He tattoos the name of a sin onto your chest and carves it out. What a dumbass can do that? I mean… he’s kinda psychopath, isn’t he?”

    “He’s sadistic little shit.” Hurk throws his cup onto the road.

    “Broseph would be really mad. That little baby Seed is supposed to stop us, but our amazin’ Stupid 4 seems to be smarter than his dumbass. Hahahah.” Elena shakes her head again and laughs together when their joyful moment was interrupted by a sudden Dutch voice.

    _“Kid? You there?!”_

    “Yep. What’s up, Dutch?”

    _“You really pissed in John’s cornflakes, kid. He’s gonna send his best after you. Keep you head on your swivel.”_

    “Ahhh… Nothin’ we can’t handle, Dutch. No worries.”

    _“Don’t underestimate that bastard. I just saw him sending five trucks after you. It must be his hunting party. Watch out, kid!”_

    “Ten-four. Over and out.” And she slips away from the bonnet.

    “Are we goin’ somewhere?” Sharky spills the cocoa from his mouth to the cup.

    “Looks like John’s not jokin’. Hurry up. We need to get out of the open.”

    “Hell, yeah! Party rides again. Were do you want to go, dude?” Hurk gets into the driver’s seat, turning on the engine and waiting for his best friends to get in. Sharky is the next to throw himself onto the passenger’s seat.

    "Dunno. Somewhere in the woods, I guess." She shrugs and crouches down on the ground.

    “Alright, man. I’m in and clench it onto the seat, let’s do this!” Elena spends a few more minutes scanning the surroundings, until she sees the first truck appearing and coming their way from the main road, from the opposite direction than Falls End. There are heavily armoured men inside, so she hurries and gets into the back seat.

    “Lay low!” Hurk shouts to her and drives forward. Hurk speeds up the truck down the road. “We’re nearing Rye & Sons Aviation. Nick’s gonna help us!” They turn into the next road, when another peggie truck slams into their left side and pushes their truck to the right. Some of the men from the peggie truck starts shooting. “Damn it! Hang on!” Hurk screams, holding the wheel tightly, while Sharky reloads his gun. A few more minutes and everything goes blurry. The Deputy opens her eyes only to be met by three peggies.  

    "Tie’ them up!” One shouts.

    “John’s gonna be happy to see ya,” another adds and the third smashes his barrel into her head.


	3. Hide and Seek

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Deputy gets Cleansed and she doesn't appreciate this. While she's struggling with John Seed, her brothers are joining the Resistance and working on their own

    She slowly opens her eyes, though, her head is still aching from last night’s accident. She raises her head just a bit and scans the surroundings. The place is different and she is laying on what seems to be sand. She can tell she's near a water pool, as she constantly hears splashes from somewhere behind her. The night is dark but serene, sparkling with stars, though, she's not sure if it's true or just another hallucination caused by bliss bullets.

    No truck. No Sharky or Hurk. She can't recall last night's events once those peggies crashed into them. She had so many plans: she was almost ready to go to Falls End and help Jerome; she had seen a couple of red huge silos, standing near Gardenview Orchards and Hyde Barn, waiting to be destroyed, but as always someone needed to ruin the 'plans'. Her head becomes a lot heavier and she struggles to keep it steady, so she quickly lowers it down, still gazing at the sky, when suddenly she hears footsteps. She closes her eyes and prays that the person approaching her is not John Seed. She hears two voices coming not far from her and so she slowly opens her eyes and  looks upwards, only to be met by two men. One as she notices is an ordinary cultists you can meet while taking a ride all over the region. He has messy dark hair and brown eyes, wearing a top with cult's symbol on it. The man crouches but not next to her, as she notices there are two more people laying nearby.

    “This one?” And he turns to look at the other man, who’s definitely important in this Project, maybe even a VIP. He’s bald, wearing long coat, as he approaches her and motions to the laying mess next to other hostages.

    “No,” the VIP points to her. “This one.” The other quickly stands up and jumps to her, putting his right hand under her waist and grabbing her left arm with his, trying to lift her up.

    “Doesn’t seem very worthy,” the hairy man says and looks at the VIP, who's shaking his head and nodding towards her. She lets a moan, as the hairy man tries to pull her upward, as her shoulder still aches from being shot with a bullet.

    “It is not for us to judge. Deliver them unto the waters. The Cleansing begins tonight.” And with these words she closes her eyes and sighs. ‘Damn,’ she thinks. She feels being dragged until her feet feels something wet. She slowly opens her eyes and meets a very bright light coming from the front lamps of the truck. Her hands are tied in front, it wouldn’t be hard for her to escape but she feels the effects of bliss. Even if she managed to hit the one, dragging her, she won't make her way out of this, she's too weak for another fight, and so she gives in. 'Maybe it won't be that bad,' she thinks. 'I'll survive this...' It makes her feel so weak and vulnerable. She sees a blue figure in the front but can’t acknowledge his or hers face. And then the peggie holding her shoulders, lowers her below the surface. It becomes harder for her to hold the breath; her heart is nearly jumping from her chest. She wants so badly to inhale and let herself get adrift.

    _“We must wash away our past._ ” A voice rings in her ears. _“We must expose our sins. We must ATONE!”_ And the peggie releases her and she quickly regains her stability once feeling the ground under her feet. She looks forward but sudden brightness blinds her. ‘It’s finished. It must finish,’ she thinks. When a peggie takes her by arm and leads her forward, only then she adjusts to the light and sees a very familiar pretty guy, standing with book of Joseph in his left hand, anointing the man and the woman being led to him. “For only then, may we stand… in the light of God. And walk through his gates onto Eden.” And he closes the book looking angrily to the infamous Deputy now reaching for him. For a second their eyes meet and she can feel his dark staring, like a predator to its prey. She feels shiver running down her body and her hands begun to shake. Suddenly he lifts his hand towards the peggie and pauses, quickly averting gaze to her.

    “Not this one,” he motions to the peggie and hands the book to him. “This one’s not clean.” He narrows his eyes and pushes the Deputy back under the surface, holding her in that place longer than the peggie. She feels her heart racing and it becomes so hard to not let herself to inhale. ‘Fuck you, John!’ She wants to scream at his face, when she feels water slowly flowing through her nostrils. Then suddenly he pulls her out and she starts coughing, letting the last drops of water get out of her system. She can’t fight. She’s high on bliss. She wants to ask where are Sharky and Hurk, but she can’t. She can’t open her mouth and only looks at her nearly-murder’s face. “Ahhhh, shhhhh…” And he wants to do that again what makes her inhale deeply. Suddenly another voice interrupts them.

    John's face becomes different out of sudden. As she looks at his lowered eyes, she sees a scared boy, who's afraid of what was going to happen. Deputy would have never thought he had this side in him and for a second she feels pity towards the Sadist. As soon as he steps away from her and turns, so he could see both the Deputy and the mysterious man, she could clearly recognize this man. He has the same familiar yellow glasses but now for everyone's sake he wears a vest and shirt under it.

    “Are you mocking the Cleansing, John?” He asks addressing his younger brother with a low voice.

    “No, Josep…” John tries to stand for himself but is quickly stopped by his brother. “Shhh… You have to love them, John. Do not let your sin prevent that.” 'What sin?' She asks herself. She quickly averts her gaze to John and sees his left hand shaking. He's also not making eye contact with his brother but she can notice him clenching his jaw. The Junior Deputy quickly feels uncomfortable as the silence drops on them, Joseph still standing in his spot near the truck, while John is standing just a few feet away from her, motionless. Any other circumstances and she would immediately reach for his hand and squeeze it, assuring him he's not alone, but the other side of her reminds her for being his _enemy_. Her hand is slightly quivering, as she is still trying to find the best option, when Joseph continues talking to his brother.

    “Bring that one to me.” and John complies. He quickly gets behind the Deputy and takes her by her right arm, leading her towards his older brother. She feels dizzy again once she steps onto the shore, bliss still running through her organism. Joseph looks deeply into her eyes, steadily holding her face into his palms. She doesn't listen to what he's saying, but hears a few phrases, like...

    "So... You care for John?" Sharky asks, resting his elbows on his knees and looking at the Deputy, as if she lost her mind. She stops talking and looks to the 'fire enthusiast' with slight confusion. "Out of all I said, you decided to ask exactly this bullshit?" She shakes her head and shivers from a sudden breeze that passes her when Hurk opens the doors and closes them behind him. "Simple check. We're alone," he states and drops lazily into the couch. "What did I miss?"

    "Nothin' important, Hurky. Just telling Sharky my whole damn story from my first meeting with John." She answers and sighs, leaning her head against Hurk's shoulder. "I thought he was gonna kill me on the spot, luckily Joe appeared."

    "Broseph must be mad..." Sharky chuckles. "John fucked up once and he disliked it. He must be boiling when you escaped from under his nose." Sharky makes a grimace and wraps his hand around her collarbone. "Damn, if only I saw his face when he heard about the ambush." 

    "Joseph was there too?" Hurk widens his eyes and reaches for the pocket of chips on the table next to them. "Yeah... and as always he started his lectures about how I still can be saved and all. Then he told John that he’s gonna be thrown out if he didn’t help me reach Atonement. He then pulled me in the truck and ya know what happened next."

    “Damn, Dep. It was a great story, ya know. John, you and whole that…” Hurk says, while crunching chips. Sharky is sitting on the couch arm, unwrapping his hand from her and slightly leaning towards the Deputy, who's wearing his hoodie. It’s warm inside the cabin. And only because Sharky decided to light some fire with his flamethrower on old books, they found there. The former owners wouldn’t be very happy with such impolite behaviour but who cares.

    “John has a torch for ya, that’s for sure,” Sharky adds and they both look at him with disgust. “What? You said it yourself, he’s gonna open you and pour you. That’s kinda hot… I mean.” Elena shakes her head and turns to Hurk. “Where you both’ve been after the accident, huh? I thought he took you as well.”

    “Nahhh..." Hurk confidently folds his right leg on his left knee. "Obviously we woke up not long after you. But you weren't there, so we started searching for ya. Lucky me, I spot you eventually when those peggies tried to put you inside their van. I saw you gagged and with bounded wrists. Hell... Our radios were broken, so we couldn't call anyone. Lucky us, Sharky found a few Resistance people not far from there... That's how we called Pastor Jerome." Hurk looks at Sharky and motions him to carry on. He also offers the packet of chips but they both refuse.

    "Yeah, well." Sharky thinks for a bit. "Jerome was pretty busy then, trying to fight the cultists, who took Falls End, but he promised to take care of that. Like five hours later he radioed us saying that his people ambushed John's vans and you were released. Oh, poor baby John..." He starts laughing. "So..." He expectorates and continues. "After an hour all Hope County heard about your heroic feats helping get back Merle Briggs. That guy... he's tough."

    "Yep. That's how the job was done. So, here we are now." Hurk wraps his arm around Sharky's shoulders and both look at the Deputy from either sides. "You're... adorable." She starts. "Thanks guys. If it wasn't you both, I'd be taken to John's bunker. Now, though, we're here and it's so good to be back." She sighs of relief and leans her head against Sharky's chest. "Love ya, guys." And they all smile. 

    "We should head somewhere tonight. John's pissed after you escaped. He's not gonna let us relax until he gets ya back, Popo." He assures, brushing his warm hand through the long dark and smooth hair. "We could go to the Marina, I heard Ade-..."

   "No fucking way." She nearly jumps from him. "Walls are thin and I'm done with constantly hearing Adelaide and Xander caking." She slowly stands from her spot and heads towards the cupboard, searching for anything eatable. "Damn people. Can't even leave anythin' in case someone got missing and is fuckin' starving. Like me..." She shakes her head and closes the cupboard doors, glancing through the window. For any reason this place causes anxiety and she still cannot figure why. It's not that dark outside for her not to notice a silhouette crossing the woods and heading their way. In fact, two, three silhouettes...  _Fuck_

   "Guys!" She whispers as loud as she can not to alert the mysterious people. "We have guests." She says and quickly moves to her bag, searching for any guns. No knives, no guns... Nothing as she starts rummaging the content of the bag.  "Where's my gear?!" She shots a look at her best buddies who just shrug. "Dunno. Didn't see ya with guns since we took you from the arranged spot." Hurk shrugs his shoulders again and motions for Sharky to secure the doors from right side.

    "I'ma move outside and secure the truck while you both gear up," he says and presses the light switch before opening the doors. "Ummm.... Popo." He turns around and quickly closes them behind him. She raises her head and motions for him to continue. "There're like five of them. All heavy armoured with M60." She widens her eyes once he stops talking and nods towards the window, opposite from the doors.

     "Quietly, let's get out," she whispers and stops in her tracks when a loud rough voice comes from outside. "Come out, girlie! John wants to talk to ya!" She can hear loud footsteps nearing the cabin. Sharky quickly heads to the window and pulls it upwards, motioning to Hurk to go first. When the latter finally manages to get to the other side, it's time for Sharky but he stubbornly doesn't move from his spot.

    "Sharky, go," she demands but he still doesn't move. "I swore to myself to not ever leave ya, Popo. Your turn!" And he stands in a fighter's position, readying his shotgun. She only sighs and quickly jumps through the window, running to Hurk direction, who's already hiding in the bushes, waiting for his friends. Sharky is the third to quietly retreat from the cabin and once they reunite they all head further. "So..." Hurk decides to cut off the sudden silence. "What do ya think about goin' to the Mountains? You're always welcomed in Hurk’s Gate. ‘Sides wanted to talk with ya about that thing and all. You gonna join us after the Collapse or what? 'Cause, dude, I need a commitment here.”

    "Not in the mood to start a war with Jacob Seed now. And, Hurk... If I recall correctly, you said it yourself that no one except the ones with name 'Hurk' are let inside your damn Gates. So… what’s changed?” She moves in front of them, constantly looking back and forth to make sure no one is following them. 

    “Well… I'm gonna be honest with ya, Dep. Not gonna be alone there when my dad is the first to throw me away. 'Sides, he kinda likes ya. If you could just approve what kind of hero I am, maybe he's gonna let us inside." He stops for a second, searching for words, before the Deputy motions for them to crouch to the ground level. They all get to the edge of the hill and spot four trucks on the left side of the road. Six peggies are attentively looking around, searching for any indications of their latest presence, there are one informer, who constantly talks to someone on his radio and two snipers. Elena nods to both her Guns-for-hire to get away from cultists' sights and get to other side of the road, while she slowly and quietly heads forward, praying for the informer to not turn around. As she moves closer, she hears him speaking. He says something like 'yes, sir', 'we'll keep searching'. As he puts the radio on his holster, the Deputy quickly snaps his neck and grabs his corpse, hiding him behind the truck. She then moves forward and sends two knives she found on the informer's body to the directions where the two snipers stand. They both fall on the ground loudly enough for the other peggies to be alerted. But before anyone can spot her, Sharky sends them to the ground.

    " _John must be alerted, more trucks coming our way._ " She hears Hurk speaking via the radio. She takes the knives from the dead cultists and slings the rifle she found over her shoulder. "Loot the bodies, Sharky. I'm gonna put some presents." She takes C4 and plants them parallelly, nodding for Sharky to get moving. "Found sixty bucks, Dep. Looks like bein' a peggie doesn't make good money." She chuckles and grabs him by his forearm, pulling him up the hill. They make half of the way when the sound of explosions reaches their ears.

 

    The sunset is nearly here and they still struggle to find a way out of the woods. She hears loud noises coming from all sides but nothing grabs their attention. After ten minutes they finally spot something bright through the bushes. As they move forward they can hear music coming louder with every step they make. "Must be Resistance." Hurk says and turns to look at the Deputy. "Should we talk with them?" The Deputy shakes her head. 'Enough people died today,' she thinks. Even if all the dead ones were peggies, she still feels guilty for being the cause of this. These innocent people don't deserve to be killed because she got into a little bit of troubles with the youngest Seed. Maybe, not today. She passes them by, only taking a glance at the three people. Two men sitting in camp chairs, one holding and playing the guitar, while a pair dancing. 'So cute,' she thinks. She makes a small grin but quickly wipes it out when a realization strikes her. It's a matter of question if she will ever be able to be in their shoes, just relaxing and playing along the music together with her best friends, without any fear of being spot and killed on sight.

    "You... o-kay, Popo?" Sharky gets her back from her thoughts and she nods, as he puts his hand on her shoulder. "Keep moving. We're getting close to Falls End." She looks forward and spots cyan coloured roof of the church where she saw Jerome the last time. She kneels down and takes a deep breath before taking her radio and closing it to her lips. "Dutch are you there? Over." She speaks and takes her thumb from the button.

    _"Good Lord, is that you, Dep?_ " The old man answers immediately. _"Where in hell have you been? John's going crazy. It seems he's not lettin' Jerome take a breath after what's happened."_

    "Typical John Seed. Seems he's not giving up. He's sendin' his men all day long after us. Over." She takes her rifle and counts the bullets left from the last gunfire, before reloading it and putting down next to her. She takes a look at the nearby buildings, noticing one sniper and one peggie rounding the building once in a while.

    _"John's determined to get ya back, Deputy. He's gonna sink his hooks after you. I saw you through the cameras. You're nearing Falls End, ain't ya?"_

    "Yep. And it seems it's not hardly secured. Hasn't John visited them yet? I thought, he's gonna make Jerome repay for interrupting his Cleansing session." She takes the rifle, fastens it on her belt and aims at the sniper, but stops as soon as she spots another one. 'Fuck,' she curses to herself. "There must be other way." She tells Sharky and Hurk. 

    " _John's not gonna let that slip past him. If you've entered his radar, there's no way back, only forward. Keep goin', Deputy. Dutch's out."_

    They cross the children yard and move towards the big quadratic building with a sniper on it. “I need some extra help. Call Jess. Ask her to meet me on the other side of the road. You two, try to take down some peggies without alerting anyone.” Hurk and Sharky nod and head behind the church, taking off their radio. At this time the Deputy slides from under the fencing and hides herself behind the crates. She spots a few peggies constantly hitting and mocking a few locals, kneeling on the ground and raises her head just in time when one of the snipers spots her. He opens his mouth to shout and alert the others, when an arrow pierces his neck. He falls down, luckily not from the roof.

    She turns her head around and notices a woman in 'Robin Hood's' clothes what makes her chuckle. The woman in hood waves at her and motions for her to stay where she is. A few more minutes and a huntress crouches down next to her, shaking her head. "Pleased to finally meet ya, Jess. You're fast." The Deputy smiles and the huntress nods in agreement. “I've been nearby. Uncle told me you’re kinda stupid when you try to do that alone.” They both chuckle and quickly wipe out their smiles when they see another two peggies retreating from a nearby truck and heading their way. "You're okay with that?" Jess motions and the Deputy nods. When the peggies round the corner of the building, Deputy and Jess aims at them and sends a knife and an arrow to their backs.

    "Remind me when I'll need a backup." The Deputy tells her, while running her hand over her pony tail. “Have you been born here, Jess?” They quietly reach the garage doors and quietly half-open them. There's a safe near a desk and a cash machine. The Deputy only hopes there's enough money, so she could buy a new sniper rifle from the store. The one, fucking John Seed stole from her during the Cleansing. She heard about amazing marksman skills Jacob has. The only way she can kill him is to become greater at what he does.

    “I’m here since childhood. My home, my county and I want to protect it. Some folks found God, I found killing. Jacob Seed killed my family and tortured us. Even if Cook is dead, I can't so easily forgive that bastard." She asserts, while looking to the cultists near the church. “Just say a word, Dep.” The Deputy watches as the young huntress goes back and forth, ready to take anyone the Deputy commands to. “Do you all have any other ways to solve problems without hurting everyone?” Elena asks and moves behind the wall, waiting for the peggie, who just repaired the truck, to come closer. "It’s Montana, what else you gonna do other than kill shit." Jess whispers silently and turns to look through the window, motioning to the Deputy when the peggie starts heading inside. He nearly reaches the desk when his attention is drawn to the huntress. But before he can say anything, the Deputy slams her hand against his mouth to shut him and drives a knife to his neck. 

    After a moment when the cultist stops moving and lets the last breath, Elena carefully places the body on the ground out of anyone's sight and sighs. “Fine. If that’s how you get your shit done. Sharky and Hurk headed to release Pastor Jerome Jeffries but it seems they got lost. We have a harder job on our shoulders. See the other sniper?” She points to the top of the opposite building and Jess nods. “Take down that one before he noticed his colleague laying dead. I'm gonna free the bartender and Jerome.” She sees the huntress carefully heading to the doors and disappearing just around the corner.

    But before the Deputy can get in the open and slide behind the other truck, suddenly  she hears yelling from the outside. "Sinners here! Call John!" And she knows it’s Hurk and Sharky's fault. There’s no way Jess could be noticed. She’s too calculated and cautious. And with that the real fight starts. The storms of gunshots, bloody corpses on the roads and constant Jess screams like: ‘eat a bag of dicks you sick fuck’ or ‘take this pussy’ – all of this will bear into her mind for long. She could never believe she can be involved in any kind of stuff like that. She always thought her life was boring.

    Four peggies stand out in the open when arrows hit them in the back. The bound captives are still kneeling shaking with fear of what is going to happen. Elena could immediately recognize one of them. It was Jerome Jeffries, a pastor who saved her the other day from the Cleansing. 'Looks like John wasn't happy with that interfere,' she chuckles and moves behind the Pastor, cutting the ropes from his wrists. He quickly takes his shotgun and motions for her to release the bartender, who's still kneeling down and shaking from horror. Once the peggie towering over the blonde woman turns around, the Deputy strikes him in between his legs and drives her knife into his chest, sending him backwards on the ground. The woman raises her head. “Free the others, I’ll deal with the left peggies,” the Deputy instructs as she cuts Mary May’s hands loose and gives her the small knife.

    It takes a few more minutes when Hurk and Sharky finally knock two more peggies out when their attention is drawn by a sudden noise from the upwards. As the Deputy looks up, she notices an Eden's Gate plane flying over Falls End and bombarding everything in its way. “That pilot is a Chosen, one of the cult’s best fighters. We need to get rid of the plane or else we’re done for. Mary May and I’ll clear the rest of the street.” She hears Pastor Jerome shouting and quickly runs to the other side of the road, avoiding the sudden explosions. "Deputy, there's a mounted gun over here!" Mary May shouts to Elena and points to the top of the building. The Deputy quickly runs to the ladders and climbs up. Just by the time she reaches the gun and mounts it, the plane turns wide for the attack. “I’m gonna strafe these sinners!” The pilot announces as he starts firing at the moving figures. She quickly aims at the plane. “Eat this!” She shouts and takes strafing runs before she sends the crashing plane down into the ground.

    “Holy crap!” Sharky shouts. “That was awesome!” And she sees her two best buddies waving at her to get down. “Yeah, it would have been better if you two were more careful down there,” she states and slides down the ladders. She can see civilians packed like sardines in front of the Spread Eagle, sighing with relief. “God is truly watching over us.” She hears Pastor’s voice behind her when two firm hands pats her shoulders. “He has guided you here to us in our time of need. We’re proud of you, Deputy. Meet me in Spread Eagle later to talk once you have some time.” She smiles and lowers her head shaking. “Actually, I’m free right now.” And with these words Jerome wraps his arm around her shoulders and leads her inside. 

* * *

    "So, we're planning on hacking their systems?" Max raises his eyebrow at Sheriff who's standing behind the two sitting boys with crossed arms. "Exactly. I talked to Tracey. She told me there's one important place here in Hope County. And it's in the Mountains. It's a radar station. Eden's Gate uses this abandoned military place to keep their eyes on the forests and maintain air superiority. If we hack their systems, we're one step ahead." Aaron looks at his brother and nods twice. "If anyone you'll manage, bro." He then stands up and turns to Sheriff. "But there lies a problem, Earl. How in hell are we supposed to do that? We're no fighters." Aaron puts both of his hands on his hips.

    "I'm still trying to reach Rook. But the signal is jammed here. Looks like Faith's work. Can't reach her over the radio while she's in John Seed's region. You need either find her or go there yourself. I'm sure there's gonna be someone for help." Both brothers shake their heads and Max starts working on the computer. "I'll need to get as close as I can then. But there'll be peggies. I can't fight and hack at the same time and Aaron can't do that alone."

    "I'm gonna try reach anyone in the Mountains. But it will take some time, boys. There are other work to do until then. Are you both in?" Sheriff places his hands on his sides. "Look, I know you weren't dreaming of this. But you're here and we need support. Max?" Sheriff turns at the hack master and slightly leans his head to the left. "He's not gonna join. That's not what Elena would like us to do." Max shots him a quick fierce look and scolds him. "Don't speak for me, okay?!" Aaron raises his hands and waves them in agreement, then he leans against the desk, crossing his arms on his chest. "I'm in, if only it takes me working on computers all the time, Earl." He then states and Sheriff smirks. "Well, fine. Aaron?" The Sheriff then turns to look at the 'older' twin and he sighs heavily before nodding. "If he's in, I'm in." Max turns back to the screen while Aaron approaches Earl and puts his hand over his forearm. "Don't do anythin' stupid. Maybe he's prof at brain work, but surrounded he's worthless. Keep an eye on him while I'm out, promise me Earl." And with that Sheriff nods twice.

    They both head to the vendor when Earl gives her a few rolls of bucks. "Here, Sam. Give him something." The vendor shows the young man a few rifles. "If I were you, I'd take 45/70. Worth a shot, huh?" He smiles and Aaron nods. "Good choice, Earl. I'm still not good at that but I'm practising. Seems Tracey has more talents than just constantly open her mouth." They both chuckle for a minute. "Yeah, she's great at fighting. And she's definitely gonna teach you some tricks." 

    Sheriff leads him to the back exit and hands him a piece of map with a few circled places. "There are some outposts, I highlighted. I'll make sure Max jammed the alarm systems when you get there. Take Scott and Ronald as well." Aaron pats Sheriff's shoulder and heads to the nearest 2012 Kimberlite, waiting for the other two companions to join him, when his radio crackles. " _Hey, Max there. Over."_   Aaron pushes the button and hands it to Scott, when he sits beside him. "What's up, Max?" He turns on the engine and drives through the gates.  _"What's the first stop there? Earl said you got some missions. Over."_ Aaron hands the map to Scott and asks him to tell the location of the nearest outpost. "Scott says it's Nolan's Fly Shop. Over." He looks forward and spots a few trucks coming their way, so Aaron quickly turns the truck to the right and drives as fast as he can.  _"Roger that. Once you there, call me. Out."_

    They pass Abercrombie Residence and he slams on breaks, stopping the truck. "Let's get movin'." He commands his partners and heads out of the truck, nearing the shop. 

    There are many mindless Angels working in this area, and Aaron orders Ronald to make clean shots. As for Scott, they both make their way towards the entrance, carefully watching for any peggie to appear from the corner. Once inside they immediately spot locked iron doors. "There's a shed over there." Scott blurts. "Might be something interesting." Aaron nods his head and Scott gets outside, heading to the shed. At the same time the boy radios his twin. "Max, it's Aaron. Found some iron doors. Locked. Need a card. Any idea?" While he waits for his younger brothers answer, Aaron loots the cash machine and reloads his rifle with the ammo he found on the shelf.  _"I see. Just a few seconds. I'm gonna hack in. Over."_ Aaron would never admit how proud he is of his brother. Even if sometimes he's a huge pain in the ass, he's still worth every shot Aaron takes to protect his back. Right now, his master skills are very beneficial but some part of the older one misses his constant mumblings.  _"And... Open Sesame! Yes!"_ And in truth, after a second the doors locker turns green and gives excess to all the secrets inside. "Damn, bro. If only Elena knew what we're up to." Aaron laughs while opening the doors. "Nothing there. It's like a basement." What he doesn't expect is the weird sounds coming from the downstairs. He gets down and turns around only to be met by three Angels. "Shit." He says into the radio and freezes.  _"Aaron, what's goin' on?!"_ He wants so badly to shut his brother up but his voice is enough for the Angels to turn around and spot him. "Well..." He smirks. "I guess, I should say hi." He says and quickly runs upwards.

    Three Resistance people come for help in just a second and help him fight the mindless beasts. When he gets downstairs again, there's only one Angel left and Aaron quickly finishes the job. "Well..." He states into the radio. "Shit happens sometimes." And he hears chuckles from the other end.  _"Troubles just follow ya."_ Aaron laughs at his brother and moves through the tables full of Bliss drug pockets. "Damn, it's the source of smuggling." He takes the first pocket and turns it over.  _"Don't get used. Elena wouldn't appreciate you coming back to your past addictions, bro."_ Aaron shakes his head and heads to the desk. There are some formulas on the nearby board and some pieces of paper. There's one on the desk too, so he lifts it and starts reading. "Bliss, chemical compound, made from God's earth, bla bla bla... Divine chemical. Just divine. What an absurd." He scoffs. "Idiots." He tosses the paper away and heads back to the shop. "Max. There's nothing worth in here. Tell Sheriff we're heading forward. See ya soon. Over and out."

    He heads outside and the first what he sees is a helicopter. Scott and Ronald reaches him just a few seconds later and raises their eyebrows. "Know how to fly?" Scotts asks, rolling the baseball bat in his hands. Aaron widens his eyes and makes a grin. "Never tried. No license needed, either. So... why the hell not..." He chuckles loudly and gets in the driver's seat. "Comin'?!"

    The two men look at each other thinking and smile before getting in as well.

* * *

    "I thought Eden's Gate confiscated all this.” Adelaide takes the glass of liqueur and takes a drink. "Wow, it's.... huh." She makes a grimace and starts coughing. "A potent one, I mean." The Deputy looks at Addie from her seat and smiles with all her teeth. 

    "So, remind me, Popo. What are we doin' here?" Sharky takes a seat next to her on the bed. "Are we gonna pull that 'Power of Yes' from John's ass or are we gonna spend the night here, cause..." He brushes his hand over the sheets. "It's kinda comfy. I like it." Elena just shakes her head and raises from the bed. "We're gonna piss him a bit more, that's for sure." She heads to the table and unrolls her map, placing it on the surface. "So..." She begins. "I don't think helping Grace Armstrong or John's best past buddy Nick Rye is gonna make him happy. That's why I planned everythin'. Once we get his attention, he's gonna do everythin' to capture us. That's why we need an escape plan." She turns to her four best friends and continues. "I need Sharky and you Adelaide to help Grace Armstrong with whatever she needs. I heard some peggies are tryin' to wreck one of God's houses, called Lamb of God Church or somethin'. Go there and help her." 

    "What about ya, Popo?" Sharky approaches her and puts his flamethrower next to the map. She looks at his gun for a second before raising her head with a warning glare. "No worries, Popo. Not takin' it with me." She sighs and nods. "Me, Hurk and Jess are goin' to Rye's aviation. John took his plane and he's determined to drive the propeller into John's ass. Gonna be honest, I have no idea of what's goin' to happen there, but as we have Hurk and his RPG, I think everything's gonna be fine, yeah?" She turns to smile at Hurk, who's still moving back and forth, singing something under his nose. "I take this as an answer." She says. Suddenly she hears gunshots and noises of flying planes.

    "What's goin' on?" She asks and quickly gets to the nearby window. Addie and Sharky comes beside her and they all watch as three white trucks pull over near the 'Spread Eagle'. What they don't expect is the same John Seed with his unnerving grin in his face stepping out of the truck and heading to Jerome and Mary May. “Well well well, if that’s not my most favourite people of the year.” He greets and folds his hands behind his back, deeply exhaling. “What d’ ya want, John?” Jerome raises his shotgun and points at him. John starts laughing hard and raises both of her hands in self-defense. “Oh, Pastor… Hahahah,” then he looks at the people with a stern look and a grin in his face. “Recent reports told me about losing Falls End,” he starts. “I figured out that the Deputy didn’t waste her time after the unpleasant disturbance of my Cleansing. What I still think of, is that she’s still somewhere here… Hiding… Like a moron she is.”

    It makes Elena’s blood boil and takes all of her strength not to burst downstairs and smash his head into his truck. “So…” He rolls his foot in the ground and lowers his eyes for a second before looking back at them. “Let’s say I’m gonna give ya ten minutes to tell me where she is before my people burnt the sinner gathering place down.” He folds his arms over his chest now and raises his eyebrow. “By the way, time is ticking.” Elena starts shaking and moving back and forth. "Plan's changed," she says silently and looks to her friends. "Time t' move." She leans her head to the left and quickly straightens her back heading to her sniper rifle and slinging it over her shoulder. 

    Jerome and Mary May are still standing in front of John, and it seems he's losing his patience. The last minute ticks down and John turns around glaring at the buildings for any sign of Deputy's presence. But she's just not here. He sighs and clenches his jaw, looking back at the two Resistance commanders in Holland Valley. "If that's what you want..." He whispers for only them to hear and signs for his men to get back into the truck, while the others head to the 'Spread Eagle' with gasoline. He hears Mary May shouting 'No!' but his pride would never allow him to change his mind. They've done enough to exasperate him and they're gonna face the consequences.

   But before his men could start their job, he opens the truck doors and notices something moving in the outer mirror. He glances at it and spots a figure quickly running to the nearby ATV with a helmet on his head. When the person finally sits and turns the engine, he takes of the helmet and waves at John with wide smile, sending him the middle finger and putting the helmet back. 'There's that Deputy!' He thinks. John also hears helicopter's blades' sound and sees Adelaide and Sharky in it. John quickly gets into the passenger's seat and commands his driver to turn the engine on and follow the Deputy. They pass only the first turn to the left before their truck is difficult to control and they stop. "The hell's happening?" John burst with anger and the driver shrugs. He gets out of the truck and rounds the truck, opening the doors for John. "Broken tires, sir." John boils with anger once getting out of the truck. "How?!" He scolds his man and he points to spikes, innocently laying on the road.

   "For fuck's sake!" He shouts and slams his hand into the doors. He then spots Hurk Jr. markedly laughing at the youngest Seed. Then he jumps on the ATV and rushes forward, passing them by. He realizes the direction they're moving. They're gonna help Nick Rye and that irritates him. But at the same time he acknowledges he failed once again. Joseph is probably aware by now of Deputy's escape. But what happens when he hears how she slipped from just under his nose... And that's not Joseph is gonna be happy about. _Again_. 'Don't underestimate this woman,' he recalls Joseph saying before they even got to know the Deputy. And John knows he was right. He always was. "Get me back to my ranch. Send more people to Rye aviation. They're gonna after Rye's plane. Call reinforcements to the ranch as well!" And he takes a 'sinner' car, standing roadside. "Really?" He scoffs and runs his hand over his face. "She's gonna pay for it."


	4. Nothing can stop me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Deputy heads to take Nick's plane and highly underestimates her enemies.

    " _John sent too many people to destroy the graves here, hon._ " Adelaide speaks via the radio, while the Deputy slowly nears the Rye aviation. She can hear gunshots coming from the front and she readies her rifle. She motions for Hurk to take a position behind the trunk, while she unclips her radio and pushes the button.

    "But you've managed to get to her?" While she waits for her answer, the Deputy quickly slides behind one of the barrels and aims at the first batch coming from the south.  _"Just barely, sweetheart, but Sharky put a good show there, sending those peggies like fireworks to all sides."_ She hears the old woman laughing.  _"Grace sends you greetings. She's gathering all her shit together and we're heading back to to 8-pizza. Come there when you're free, hon. We have a lot to discuss."_ Elena hears her radio shut and fastens it on her belt, motioning for Hurk to move.

    "Enemy over there!" One of the peggies yells and sends shots into the garage where she can spot a slim male figure constantly hiding himself behind the desk. "I have all time here, Rye!" Another adds and hides behind the truck. The Deputy signs for Hurk to explode the truck what draws attention of the other peggies. She quickly shoots one in a head when the other appears from her left side and nearly smashes his bat into her head, but fortunately a man she recognizes as Nick shoots him in the chest. She waves at the man thanking and carries on cleaning the area. She spots Nick quickly appearing outside and starting shooting at everyone in everywhere and she luckily jumps on the ground before being hit.

   "We're trapped! Fuckin' John Seed!" She hears a man shouting. "I swear to God, I'm gonna kill that son of a bitch!" He slams his foot into the nearest barrel once the last peggie drops dead behind her.

   "You know... You should shoot less." She speaks once steadying herself on the ground. "You could've shot me, just so ya know."

   "Goddamn." He quickly gets to her and grabs her by her shoulders. "You're that Hero everyone's talking about?!" Before the Deputy can answer, she hears a female voice coming from somewhere. "Deputy?!" Nick shakes his head and takes her by her hand, leading to the garage. "I'll be damned. It's really you. Jerome told me so many things about ya, never thought I'll see the day. I'm Nick Rye, by the way." He smiles at her and she closes her eyes for a second. "Thought about helping you earlier, Nick. But things happened on my way here. Multiple times it was just John." She chuckles while searching for Hurk, but he's nowhere to be seen. "I'm sorry, Deputy," he runs his hand over  back of his head. "The things are quite fucked up here now. My plane...  Have you seen those peggies taking off with my plane?!"

   She thinks for a minute before answering while rolling eyes. "Yellow. With some teeth at the front? Is that one of yours?" She raises her eyebrow. He nods his head. "I and Kim were planning to escape Hope County before John encroached with his men and stole all the supplies. Fuckin' bastard. I should've known he was a monster when he brought that watery Mac and cheese that day." She opens her mouth to ask what he meant by this but he just waves aside. "Anyways... I would go after it myself, but my wife is pregnant and due at any time. And I don't know what  I am supposed to do. I mean... without that plane we're fucked. Please... I know. I know how busy you are fuckin' with the Seeds. But my family needs your help." She shakes her head and considers the options to send her friends to get the plane back, but lately they've done enough for her. They took risk upon themselves and the least she wanted was to cause them more danger. Besides, John must have got home by now and called reinforcements. They needed her and they won't kill her without her Atoning. But they never promised the same on her friends. She closed her eyes for a moment and remembered the best moments of her past.

     _"See that wolf?" Her grandad asked when she was still eight. She watched at the dark grey wolf in front of any others and nodded. "He's the leader of the pack, always protecting his own. Whenever time comes, he's gonna risk his life to protect the weaker and those in need." Michael takes her by her hand and backs away. "The people are like wolves. The strongest, the leaders are always sacrificing themselves for the weaker ones. They would always go in front and take the danger upon themselves to protect the ones they care about. You..." He crouches to the level of the young girl and looks deeply into her eyes. "You've always been a fighter, my dear. Remember this when time comes. This involves not only you or your brothers. This involves your friends and their friends, their families..."_

She sighs deeply and glances at the man. "What do I have to do, Nick?" He fixes the cap and continues not looking at the woman, who just saved his ass. "If I know the cult, they've taken my plane to John Seed ranch. There's only one other airstrip big enough to land the plane."  _Fuck..._ She curses under her nose. 'So much for fleeing from the baby Sadist' she thinks and once again re-considers her best options. "Thank you in advance, Dep." He hugs her and goes inside, leaving her, trying to put her thoughts together. "Hurk!" She calls for her friend and he comes from the nearby corner. "Yeah, Dep?" She looks at him with a confusion. "I'm getting to John's Ranch." He narrows his eyes and wants to scold her but she interrupts him. "I know what you're gonna say... And it's the only way. Nick's plane there and I don't get any other choices." 

    After what seems like hours of being in silence Hurk stands up from the log and approaches her. "Look, man. I know John Seed has your buddy, but still... Going in _Bocca al lupo_ doesn't seem to be a good idea. C'mon think 'bout it for a sec. He's gonna bring you down there into his bunker and hell knows what to do to ya." He shakes his head. "Hell, no way I'm gonna let ya go there, dude." She tries to reach for his shoulders but he retreats  from her touch. "No! No way!" She sighs and looks into her palms, that are bruised and bloody, still aching from the last days of her adventures. "Fine. But you're gonna do exactly what I told." He nods and slings his RPG over his shoulder, unholsting his handgun. "Lead the way."

* * *

    "There's no sign of the Deputy, sir." One of his VIPs comes into his office and lowers his head. "But there were reports about sudden gunshots in the aviation. Our people are dead."

    John seemingly is not looking at his man. He spins his key on his finger and sits in his chair calmly, while folding his legs over his desk. "Go." He only orders before the man closes the doors behind him. He still thinks about the latest events and his nearly confrontation with the infamous Deputy itself. 'Call me in need.' He recalls his eldest brother telling him when his first outposts were taken and involuntary reaches for his radio.

    "Jacob, you there?" He speaks kinda loudly still waiting for any noises coming from the outside.

   " _Johnny? To whom do I owe this pleasure, huh?"_ Jacob's voice is mocking and John swears he can hear his brother chuckling. "Need your help. The Deputy's coming to my ranch. Joe isn't gonna like it." Jacob sighs and takes his own radio talking to his people. However, John can't understand any word he's saying. _"Just sent orders to my best Chosen. Keep in mind, if they get her, she's gonna be brought to my cage. Over._ "  John doesn't care about it now. He just wants to get rid of her for as long as he can. It will take long for him to regain everything he'd lost and even longer to rebuild the silos she exploded. "Take her and do whatever you want. I don't care. Just get her out of my Valley." And with that he hangs the phone up to Jacob's face. 

    He waits almost all day before Jacob's hunters show up and watches how they take their positions around the ranch. He didn't move out from his office whole day, constantly waiting for the Deputy to show up. He waits another hour and decides to move downstairs. 'She's gonna come in the midnight. Smart girl,' he catches himself thinking. Of course, it would be easier, but she highly underestimates Jacob's best soldiers. He takes a seat in his living room in front of the fireplace and takes the latest reports, scanning them over. He sees the photos attached to the papers and in all these the Deputy's changed her appearance. 'Smart move,' he thinks once again before hearing his men screaming. He quickly jumps from his spot and nears to the window, dragging the curtains just a bit to get a better look outside.

    Some of the men are running back and forth, while Jacob's hunters are taking best hidden positions waiting for any target to appear. Then his radio crackles to life.  _"Sir? You there?"_ He takes his radio to his lips and pushes the button. "I'm here. What's your status?" He eagerly waits for the answer while searching for his AR-C rifle in the drawer, next to the phone. " _Jordan and Bon are missing. Haven't found their bodies yet. Though, can't confirm if it's Deputy's work. There's no sign of her."_ John sighs with relief. "Be aware of anythin', she's not that dumb. Keep searching." He heads to the couch and takes a seat, extinguishing the fire and sitting in the dark. Maybe, he's gonna spot a shadow slipping past.

    And it sure does. After an hour or so and he watches with wide eyes as a small fragile figure hides behind the crate just in front of him. Outside. He quickly gets upstairs and calls his right-hand, who's now somewhere near Falls End.

* * *

   "You sure about that, Dep?" Hurk whispers silently while they both look around for the threats. "Yep. I'm gonna sneak into the ranch, I heard some peggies saying John's out. Gonna take a while before we take his home. Imagine his face when he'll hear about bein' homeless." They both chuckle and she quickly slams her palm onto his mouth and shushes him, when a man in red mask passes them by. "Why are they wearing socks on their faces?" She raises an eyebrow at Hurk, who's taken aback by the sight in front of him. He engulfs hardly and turns to her. "Never saw them in any other region," he starts.

   "Who?" She pushes him slightly. "The Chosen hunters." She makes a grimace and takes the binoculars. "The what now?" She scans the area and spots like eight of similar men. Some of them walking around the ranch cautiously while the others scan the area from the roof. "They're Jacob's best soldiers. Red masks are their distinguishing sign." She widens her eyes once Hurk utters the eldest Seed's name. "They make up the hunting parties. The ones like the last sent after me and mom." She freezes for a moment before lowering her head. "So..." She tries to speak and feels something in her throat. "Jacob sent his people here... He's aware of our presence then." She rapidly nods her head and bits her lower lip. "Great. Just great. Nothin' we can't handle, right?" She doesn't look at Hurk, who raises his hand and pats her shoulder twice. "We can back away. Just say a word, dude."

   She thinks for a moment and takes  a step forward. "No. I made a promise. Keep lookin'. Don't wanna lose ya."

    She looks over to the two Chosen and when they turn their backs to her, she quickly moves past the other two peggies and hides herself behind the largest crate just in front of the window. It doesn't hit her that anyone could see her from the inside and she raises her head just a bit to see one of the peggies with his back at her. She sticks her tongue out and readies her slingshot she stole from one of the cultists on the road and sends a stone piece into his head.  _Why not making some fun from the worst?_

   "Hey!" He screams. "Who in hell did that?!" She chuckles silently and raises her hands rolling them in the air.

   "Come down, idiot." She hears a voice coming from the roof. The peggie turns to her side and watches carefully his surroundings, before turning away and heading a few metres to the right. She sends another stone into his ass and that makes him yell again. "Someone's fucking with me! I swear! Who did that?!" He screams again and she hears footsteps coming her way. The other two peggies start scanning the area and she has nothing left than to head backwards to the window and quietly open it. She carefully climbs inside and crouches down. The peggies are already gone from her sight and she tries to adjust to sudden darkness. She takes her throwables from her pockets and stick them on the ground, near the front doors.

    She doesn't hear any voices or noises coming nearby, so she carefully tries to head to the nearest light source. Once near stairs she spots light coming from upstairs and readies her silenced pistol, just in case someone jumped on her. Quietly she reaches the last step, always turning around to see any enemies and only then she hears a very familiar voice coming from one of the closed doors.

    "I don't care what it takes. I think the Deputy's here. Send more men. Yes!" He shouts at someone or something and she quietly opens the doors, peeking at the inside. She is met with his silhouette leaning against the radio with his back to her. He puts the radio when the other starts crackling. "What?!" He barks louder than anytime. It takes long time before he responds. "Then use harsher means, for fuck sake!" She waits eagerly for him to turn off the radio and re-thinks what she's gonna do, once he puts the radio down and turns to her. 'Hey, John... Wanna talk... no,' she shakes her head. 'Maybe go straight to the point.' She rolls her eyes and holsters her pistol. 'What if I just ask for Nick's plane? But of course, he's not gonna believe that... What if in return I promise for him to confess?' She wonders until she hears his voice again. "I don't care, you hear me! Take all means if necessary but bring her back to her room!" She wonders what they were talking about until... "Listen to me, Roy! Once you get Deputy Hudson back, punish her so she would always remember the consequences!"

   And something snaps in her. Once John puts down the radio she charges at him. "You son of a bitch!" She yells and sends him forward over the desk before he could even reach for his rifle. She jumps on him and straddles him, squeezing her hands on his neck.     

* * *

    He feels his eyes shutting off while the Deputy takes the last breaths from him, while squeezing his neck as tightly as she can. "I told you I'm gonna kill you if you even touched my friends. I'm gonna free Hudson, you sick fuck!" She yells at the youngest Seed, trying to fight for his own life, while the peggies are running outside and trying to get inside. The throwables explode as soon as they near the front entrance. "I'm gonna kill you, you monster!" She screams continuously, when suddenly someone yanks her by her shoulders and she slams into the nearest wall, her head aching badly. She feels dizzy and she sees stars, but as soon as her eyes adapt, she widens her eyes from fear.  _How did he sneak on her like that? She was always so careful..._

    She sees her attacker reaching for John and helping him to stand up. Then they both turn to the Deputy and John boils with anger, eyeing her up and down.

    "So..." The other man starts.  ~~~~"All troubles for one girl." He shakes his head, when John turns to him. "How did you get here?" He raises his eyebrow. "My men called me saying they were havin' some kind of problems. They weren't sure if she _was_ here. Gonna tell ya. Had a bad feeling. Saw her sneaking around the ranch and decided to take her myself." She looks at the strong man with fear. _My men..._ Was he? "What?" He asks when spotting her looking at him. "Cat cut your tongue? Nothing to say?" He folds his hands over his chest. "That's okay. You deserved to be taught a lesson, _Deputy_." He spills and addresses by her title mockingly. "Your lesson begins now."

    She feels four strong arms grabbing her by her own forearms and pulls her upwards. "You're Jacob, ain't ya?" She chuckles. "Took you long enough." He narrows his eyes and signs for his men. One of the hunters slams his fist into her belly and thanks to the other two, holding her, she doesn't fall forward. "Show some respect." The hunter growls at her. 

    "I told ya, I'm gonna get ya." Jacob heads towards her while looking at the ground. "No matter how much time it would take." He then raises his eyes enough to look at her, while she splits the blood accumulated in her mouth at the Soldier. "Fuck you!" She boils with anger. The same hunter hits her a second time, but this time with his knee and she feels pain going through her body. "You know... You're either bold or stupid. Now, I... I never thought of you bein' stupid. So, tell me, Deputy..." He leans towards her and whispers while smirking. When she doesn't answer, he nods his head and furrows his jaw. "Pride, huh?" He chuckles. "Never thought of you bein' prideful, either. Never took it upon yourself to come into my region and confront me. That's a very strategical and smart thinking. For Militia, _Eli_... maybe." She narrows her eyes, not knowing what he was talking about. "But you're a coward. And your little Resistance is nothing but morons, hiding themselves behind one weak thing, calling herself a _Hero_." All of his men gather around and chuckle. "You really believe _you_ out of _all_ people can outthink _me_?" He pokes at her temple and raises his eyebrow. "Start thinking again. You're gonna have plenty of time there, by the way. And hammer it into your head. While I'm alive, nothing's gonna happen to this Project or to my brothers." He points at her.

    "Ya know..." She looks at him. "You're so right, _Seed_. That's why you're gonna be the second on my list." She smirks at him and he tightens his grip on her neck. "Watch your mouth, kitten." He warns her and that makes her laugh even more. "And what you're gonna do, huh? Even your so-called Father doesn't allow to kill me." She raises her eyebrow and before the hunter can hit her again, she barks at him. "Hit me again and I swear to God..." She grits her teeth. "I'm gonna hung your head on the stake." The Chosen looks at Jacob who just nods with closed eyes. He then turns to John and mutters. "Gonna take her. Start the trials. Gonna be hard and would take some time, though. I'll send her for your confessions once she becomes obedient." He doesn't wait for his younger brother's answer and motions for his people to draw her out.

    "We're gonna have a very long night, Deputy." He mocks her once passing her by. His people lead her outside and stop while Jacob talks with John a bit more. Once finishing his conversation, he points to one of the white trucks with Eden's Gate symbol on it and orders: "Throw her into that truck. Let's go."

    


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Deputy fights for herself

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mention of past bullies

    "Throw her into that truck. Let's go." Jacob moves past her and she tries her best to break away from two hunters holding her arms. Their grip is tight and she can barely breathe. Her heart is racing fast and she can't calm down. She just can't. From time to time the ginger Soldier glances over his shoulder, making sure the Deputy and his men were following him, grinning in his beard of his success. 'Prideful asshole' she thinks and looks at the surroundings. There's no sign of Hurk and that petrifies her. He hasn't left. He _couldn't_. He'd die but wouldn't leave her alone no matter in what shitty situation she gets herself. 'What if he got captured?' She swallows hardly and feels sweat running down her back thinking about what they would do to her best friend. Neither Jacob nor John nor other peggies liked Hurk. All of their family in fact. The Deputy can't say she really liked her bestie's dad either. His rudeness, roughness and the coldness in his voice were enough to make her keep distance from the Hurk's Gate. She doesn't know if Hurky was right about saying his dad respected her in some ways. Maybe. But he _didn't_ like her. That's for sure. The way he spoke to her the first day they met, not even daring to make an eye contact. Well, some part of the Senior Drubman reminded her of Jacob. He was rough as well, too concentrated on his tasks and spattering everyone with filth. He had his own words to speak to anyone he liked or disliked. And sure, Deputy wasn't the one he would be kind with. The fire in his eyes, the hatred... everything burnt in him and it clearly showed through his eyes. No... They couldn't just capture him. John for sure wouldn't miss a chance to make her feel weaker. He would drag Hurk by force if needed, but he wouldn't miss the chance to see her face.

    She once again decides to try her luck and they barely make a few more steps. "Hey, Jacob..." She challenges him but he doesn't dare to turn around and look at her. "Ya know I'm gonna escape, right?" The hunters tighten their grips on her arms and she finds it even harder to breathe. "I'd like to see ya try, _pup_." He mocks her again and takes the keys from his pocket. "Stay here," he orders his men and goes behind the truck, opening trunk lid, searching for something to tie her hands. She takes her time to stare the big Soldier up and down, admiring his features. Though, his hands are half covered she can still notice the huge dark bruises and scars on them. He's a war veteran, who probably has seen a lot in his life. What made him _experienced._ 'Experienced till which level?' She catches herself thinking dirty about this man. Why Seeds had this affect on her, she didn't know. And she didn't care. At the end of the day they were still her enemies everyone wanted to be slain by her hand. When the feelings get too much, she turns her head, so Jacob couldn't notice her expression and call her _weak_ once again. Her cheeks are pink right now and she can blame the cold weather for it, but the first impressions Seeds leave on her, are always _remarkable_. The tone of voice, their posture, the taste in clothes, the way they speak... Damn everything these bastards do make her swallow hard and bite her lip. The force they pull her towards them is stronger and she once again feels herself moving forward towards the eldest Seed. Maybe she could reach him just as she wanted this in her Baptism, but the strong hands wrapped around hers prevent her.

    She makes an eye contact with the youngest Seed, who's standing on the porch with his hands behind him and she recalls that moment in the church. The same posture, the same sparkling eyes that can pierce you through and hands that would gladly wrap around her pretty neck and squeeze with enough force. But this time, his eyes sparkle with... _desire_?  _You have to love her John... Do not let your sin prevent that. What kind of love is this one?_ He nearly drowned her. Yes. But he barely fought her when she charged at him in his office. Was he surrendering? She lowers her eyes down and stares at the dusty ground for a second before she darts her eyes at him again. He's still there, watching at her with narrowed eyes and she forgets. She forgets how much she hates him, his family. How much torture he inflicted on her and her friends. And even if she wanted to finish all this war, it's too late. There are people who need her help. Nick Rye. Kim Rye. Baby Rye. Mary May Fairgrave and others. She shakes her head and averts her gaze. She notices John's men walking around the ranch, some of them weirdly looking at the infamous Deputy. Most of Jacob's hunters have already driven back to the Mountains, only a few left guarding him on either sides, and two holding her steadily. When she darts her look further... Only then she spots a dark shadow further from John's standing place. She furrows her forehead and her eyes twinkle as she recognizes that rotund guy with a blue headband. She hears a soft whistling that doesn't attract attention of anyone except her.

    "What are you lookin' at, _sinner_?" The hunter on her right draws his eyebrows together while the other's expression hardens. "Nothin'." She simply says and stares back at the ginger Seed, now taking out a pair of handcuffs. "Really, Jacob?" She lifts her eyebrow and scoffs. He doesn't pay attention and it makes her sigh, waiting for him to head back to her. She is already planning her next moves, how she's gonna spin around once the hunters release their grips on her arms and make a swift kick to the front of one's knee. Then she will punch into the other's Adam's Apple and then... then she'll have to face Jacob. Hurk, probably, will fight the others at that time. Fight won't be fair but she'll still try to hit him to the groin area. Maybe that will work. She's deep in her thoughts when she feels a hand on her forearm and watches as the Seed takes the handcuffs. But suddenly he stops.

    "You hear that?" He asks his Hunters and they both share a glimpse with each other. The Deputy sends her glance at the youngest Seed, who's watching around and then she spots Hurky readying the RPG. He's closer than ever. Just around the corner of the house. 'No! No! No! No!' She wants to scream quickly gazing at Jacob, who's rounding her  and looking back and forth at his surroundings. She sees how her bestie leans the rocket against his shoulder and aims at her. 'Not me, you idiot! Him!' She wants to scold him but he motions to the left a few times. "What's that?" Jacob straightens his back and looks at his men. And sooth to say, they hear a blast and then see a something very dark scooting their way. The hunters quickly widen their eyes and jump just in time before the rocket hits the truck. The Deputy, on the other hand, quickly jumps to her left, just how Hurk motioned, succumbs to the ground and wraps her hands around her head. When the rocket reaches the truck and it explodes, the Deputy quickly regains her stance on the ground and looks around to find Hurk.

    "Dep, run!" She hears Hurk shouting, while he runs to her way and takes his rifle, shooting the two hunters and sending them on the ground. She doesn't look back, her legs never ceasing to stop while she runs through the dense woods. Her mind never strays from her only thought; _run_ , _Deputy, run_! She feels the knot tightening in her throat, her lungs burning and her heart nearly beating out of her chest. Darting through the branches she tries to keep herself focused. She doesn't hear any noises coming from behind her, but it is risky to stop. Even if she wanted, if her legs became excruciatingly painful, they were unable to stop. Something inside told her she was not safe. _Jacob Seed_. He was a hunter, a predator. He wouldn't let her slip like this without a fight. She saw that in his piercing blue eyes when their eyes met each other in that moment. She quickly nears the river and dives deeply into it, holding her breath and swimming to the other side. Maybe she can mislead them. Mislead _him_. Once on the shore, she runs further for what looks like hours.

    Her legs finally start to give up, her breathing becomes laboured and her eyes can't see anything but darkness. 'Damn this night!' She yells at herself. 'For coming here in the first place!' She knew it was wrong. She knew that from the first moment when John outburst into Falls End to take back what was _his_. Of course, he was pretty sure she was heading somewhere. Heading to the aviation. There was only one place down from the Fall's End. She would then go after Nick's plane. She wipes out several tears, not because she was crying. Or maybe. Yes, she was scared of what was going to happen. She is _scared_ for Hudson. She is _scared_ for Hurk. She is _scared_ for Addie, who even if liked insulting her ex-husband and mocking her son, still had heart after all. It is _her_ son. Son, the Deputy swore to keep an eye for. Once again she didn't keep her word. 

    Once she makes her way to the middle of nowhere, she quickly zooms under the trees to find the perfect place to hide herself. She once again scans the surroundings but sees nothing. She also doesn't hear anything suspicious. Only natural sounds of the woods... And with that she realizes something's not right here. Until she hears a cracking of branch and swoops to the ground, hiding her body in high grass. Not long after she spots something ginger behind the tree. The figure crouches down and examines the ground. 'Shit,' she once again curses herself for forgetting about her footprints. The ground is soft moist and the print of her shoes must have sunk in the ground enough to be recognized by the best hunter in whole Hope County. 'If I stay he'd find me eventually,' she keeps reminding herself and her heart starts beating even faster. She can't stay. She must move. But is there a way to slip past him without being noticed? She takes a step forward and hears her own movements. There's no way she's gonna escape this. Then through the vegetation she spots the statue of Joseph and tries to remember the places not far away from her current location. There are non of them. She's quite too far from the Henbane either. She starts backing away, always keeping an eye on the red head, who's still scanning the area with his back to her. When she makes quite a distance, she raises from the ground and runs to the direction of the statue, deeply hoping to meet Resistance or a truck on her way.

* * *

    Days pass quickly, as Aaron, Scott and Ronald take a few more outposts in Henbane and head back to the jail. They heard about sudden outbursts in Holland Valley, as their sister was seen in Seed's ranch. What they didn't expect was Jacob Seed's presence there, what made all things more complicated.

    "Aaron," Sheriff is the first to greet the young man, once he enters through the tower doors. "Head inside. Max managed to hack the systems in Holland Valley. Your sister was spot running on the borders of Holland Valley." Aaron raised his eyebrow at the mention of Elena. "Wasn't she captured by Jacob Seed himself?" Sheriff just shakes his head and chuckles. "That damn girl... She always puts a show. But no, she wasn't. But she's in danger, Jacob Seed is not gonna let her escape that easy." Aaron puts his gun on the table and turns to look at his baby brother, his gaze locked at the computer screens. "She's close to Kellett Cattle Co." He announces and zooms the cameras in. "Good Lord! Just look at her!" Max shows his teeth in amusement what makes Aaron laugh. "How did you hack them, bro?" He leans to the desk with his left arm and looks at the screen. "John Seed and his people were so occupied by her sudden presence that even didn't acknowledge the presence of my own." He chuckles. "Gonna be honest. Their system sucks." Sheriff takes off his hat and looks at the two boys. "Not gonna be easy with Jacob, though. He's very careful and calculated about everything. Don't underestimate that bastard. Even with his absence in the Mountains, he's already took care of the safety there." The guy with glasses narrows his eyes at the Sheriff and scoffs. "Well maybe he _was_. He wasn't officially introduced with Maximillian Meyers." When he turns to look at the screens once again he quickly leans forward and opens his mouth. "What?" Aaron quickly notices his sudden shift in posture. "We have a problem..." He starts shaking his head. "I mean... she has a _serious_ problem." Sheriff takes a closer look as well, as the three men notice someone not that far away chasing her. "Jacob." Earl sighs heavily. "He's close." Sheriff quickly retreats from the guys and makes his way to Tracey. "We need to send some people to Holland Valley! Now!" She notices his worries and puts her hand over his shoulder. "Faith Seed's not gonna let anyone leave her damn region. I'm sorry, Earl, but... we don't have anythin' to offer for your girl now." Earl shakes his head once again and takes a seat beside her resting his head in his hands. "We don't have time. She doesn't." Tracey wraps her arm around his shoulders and leans to him. "I promised her mother. If anything happens..." She sighs. "Nothing's gonna happen to that stubborn girl. We both know that." Sheriff then takes out his handgun and thinks for a second. "Maybe I should..." and Tracey raises her eyebrow. "We need you here, Earl." She shakes her head. "If only she came back here... Look, Earl. She'll manage. She's good at that, we both know this."

* * *

    The night quickly becomes day, as she still fights for her own survival in the forest. She sees some green lights on her left. Must be an outpost. Unliberated outpost and she thinks better than to go there. She darts through the tall grass up the hill to get a better look at her surroundings. Once at the top she quickly glances back only to be met by a sudden gunshot, scratching her outer thigh and she succumbs to the ground crying out of pain. The scratch is not deep but blood is still soaking her pants. She can't give up. She's not _weak_ , she reminds herself and tries her best to stand up and run. She makes half way down the hill when she hears Jacob's voice. "I see ya!" And she turns around and quickly skulks behind the nearest tree when he sends another gunshot. "Keep hiding like the weak!" He bellows. "The hunt only excites me!" She hears him closing the distance and grabs her rifle jumping to the side and shooting at him. While she hears him reloading, she slides down the rest of the hill, getting her clothes dirtier than she'd like. Jacob raises his gun and steadily aims at the target running forward, he feels his hands start to sweat and shake, as the sudden heat transfuses through his scars and purulent wounds, making it impossible for him to grip the gun firmly. He takes a deep breath and squeezes the trigger, sending a surprisingly loud gunshot once again. He looks through the scope and fumes with anger, as his target doesn't succumb to the ground. 'Damn it!' He slams the ground with his combat boot and slings the rifle back over his shoulder, charging forward. 

    There's a river flowing not far from both of them and that will sure slow her, letting him to get the best shot. He keeps shooting at her while she ducks from one side to the other, trying to avoid being hit a second time. She quickly tosses herself onto the other side of the river and increases the distance again. Jacob can't admit his age does itself. He tries his hardest to keep pushing but those damn legs burn like hell and he stops for a second, staring how she charges at even dense woods and loses the sight of her.

    He spends the rest of hours trying to find her print but the girl seems to be learnt from her mistakes. He crouches down to examine some cracked branches when his radio crackles.  _"Jacob, sir?! It's Ajax. Over."_ He takes the radio and heavily breaths in and out, before pushing the button and speaking, still scanning the area for any movements. "Listenin'." He simply answers and closes his eyes for a moment, thinking of where she could went. " _Some of John's men said they saw the Deputy nearing Kellett Cattle Co. If you hurry, she must still be there. Over."_ He narrows his eyes and thinks for a second before pushing down the button. "His people are clearly mistaken. I chased her down pass that outpost hours ago..." They die in silent. 'Something's not right,' he spins the thoughts in his head.  _"No, she's there. I see that with my own eyes, sir. Over."_ He wonders how it can be true. She couldn't just run back. He would never let her slip pass him without being noticed. _Grasp!_ "What time it shows?" He grits his teeth in frustration from being constantly tricked by idiots. _"Shit."_ Ajax slams his fist into the table as could be heard. "What?" Jacob stands up from his spot and runs his hand over his forehead, wiping away the sweat. " _Seems,_ _some idiots of Resistance hacked the systems, Jacob. Over."_ Jacob squeezes his fists tight and tightens the grip on his rifle. "Where is she, Ajax?" He chastises almost losing his patience and self-control. She's gonna pay for every single minute he wastes on her.  _"She's... wait a second. Jacob! She's nearing the Henbane. I repeat. She's nearing the Henbane from the west! Over."_ And with that he takes all strength he still has in himself and runs even harder.

* * *

    'Almost there, almost,' she keeps repeating herself while making her way through the forest. 'Henbane is close. C'mon, Deputy!' She darts over the branches and sees the Father's statue closer like never before. She spots a few white trucks coming down the road and she quickly runs across the road and charges into the next line of the woods. The grass is not high enough for her to hide there and she can quickly notice a sign, informing of wolverines' presence here. 'Damn those animals,' she thinks recalling her first missions in liberating outposts. Each time one of those damn Montana wild animals decided to cross her path and each time she had problems being stealthy and silent. If she's not mistaken, she liberated like three outposts without being spot out of all the other ones. _What a shame._ Somewhere in the front she hears a soft water ripples and she knows she's close. Close to her destination point. Jacob can't cross Henbane without Faith's agreement and John can't either. She sighs with reveal until she hears a rattling and buzzing noises coming from somewhere around her and she's not sure what it is. She tries to keep her eye on the surroundings, but she can't see anything. But the sound becomes louder with each step she makes forward. 'Are they fuckin' kiddi-' "Ouch!" She screams from sudden pain and only then she notices a very long creature with dark and light markings organized into stripes and spots backing away. She widens her eyes when the realization strikes her. She was fucking bitten. _Bitten_. _By the snake in the garden_. And she laughs loudly when she recalls Joseph's words. Looks like she's not the only snake here. And she feels herself becoming heavier, her face becoming numb, legs shaking. She notices two bite marks on her calf, before she feels nausea, and her eyes get blurred and succumbs to the ground unconscious. _She was so close._ She will be safe.

    _She heads to the second floor, almost late for her psychology lesson, because Tod Mascott decided to steal her keys from the locker and hide them in the school yeard. She makes upwards very quickly when she faces a gaggle of 'in-crowd', standing on the stairs. She tries her best not to look at the guys, who are constantly laughing and talking about common nonsenses. She thinks she can just invisibly slip through them and move towards the classroom, when one guy with black long hair points at her. "Ew, look it's her!" She quickly recognizes him.  Of course, she does. It's the same dipshit that always finds ways to mock and insult her again and again and again. The most popular among all of her peers, always good-looking and climbing over everyone's head to achieve what he wanted. He was that type of a guy who would come in front others and protect those he cares about. He was that type of guy who without hesitation breaks down everyone he disliked. Someone like her. And that's why he never had anything in common with the smartest girl out of all in his class. "Hey, Grammar Nazi," he grabs her by her shoulder and slams his hand over the pile of books and folders she is carrying. "Got a moment?" Her eyes are already filling with tears as her books drop noisily on to the ground and draws the attention of others. She raises her head to look at the guy who's towering her, while the others are loudly laughing at the loser. He is much taller than her and his rough hands are already making pain run through her body. "Oh..." He mocks her. "Gonna cry? Really?" He looks at his fellows and punches her hardly to the shoulder sending her backwards and she nearly falls from the stairs but he quickly grabs her jacket and holds her in place. "Remember your place, you nerd... If you ever dare to do anythin' stupid like yesterday... well... let's say you're not gonna like it what happens next." In fact, she didn't do anything, except corrected him twice in the history class. Of course, it didn't look well in his eyes._

_"Mr. Pratt?" A male voice appears from behind them and when Pratt helps her steady herself on the floor, he gives the last mocking look to her before glancing over his shoulder to psychology teacher Mr. Pattinson._

_"Yes, sir?" He asks while 'helping' her to get the books from the floor. "Are there any problems?" The teacher looks them over and sees the girl's face. "I'd like to ask the same question, Mr. Pratt." Staci looks at her and smiles at the teacher. "No, sir. I just saved her from falling from the stairs. She was carrying so many books, must slipped or somethin'. You're so clumsy, El." He jeers at her and widens his smile. "'Sides, she's late for your class, sir." He says without even blinking. "So are you." The teacher looks at Elena and approaches her. "Are you alright, dear?" She looks at him, then at Pratt and his guys and nods. "Pratt helped me. Thank you, sir." And with that she follows him back to the class, feeling the piercing gaze of him and his gaggle._

_She has never talked about the constant bullying coming from Pratt with anyone. The warnings he gave to her were enough to take all courage out of her. After all, they were just children. And, so, she just endured it, hoping that future will bring her something happier. Something different. However..._ _The fate has its own ways to fuck with you. Again. Then she is transferred to high school. And she once again gets into the same class with her most hatred person in the world. He's grown but still the same asshole, having other ways to insult her. This time she already has hard things happening in her life. Her parents are constantly quarrelling and she is supposed to spend time with her brothers during these moments. Everything makes her exhausted and she tries her best to avoid coming home and spends this time in libraries or IT rooms. She also attends various conferences and that's how she finally gets an idea to one day become a good cop. A lawful cop, always protecting the innocent from bad people._

_Everything gets worse the day of her class friend's birthday. The situation between her parents gets tensed even more and she realizes it's gonna be the end. Some weeks later and they divorce. Max and Aaron don't quite understand what's happened. The next day she doesn't come to school. The same happens a day after. When she finally appears in the classroom, Pratt is the first to notice her bad mood and quickly finds out the reason. Since that day he finds new ways to remind her of these painful events and she keeps all her feelings to herself not to show him anything what would fuel him. But once she gets home, she constantly sobs into her pillow. A year, just a year left until graduation._

 

_And when she finally graduates from school with the highest grades a year later, she relocates to Missoula, where her mother starts her new life. She gets a new job as a waitress in a local café shop and starts dating Robin Homes, who later appears to be Earl Whitehorse's best friend. That's how they meet and Earl offers Elena to finally fulfil her purpose and join the Law Enforcement Academy. And even when she finally admits her life is changing, she is hit again. Especially, when she sees the same Staci Pratt, wearing academy uniform and staring her up and down with a mock grin. "No way!" He smiles. "Who could think, huh? Meyers!" She wants to facepalm herself for constantly running into this dipshit. "You gotta be fuckin' kiddin' me." She states boldly and turns away from him, when he grabs by her shoulder and wants to turn her to look at her eyes. "Looks like we're connected by the fate itself." He chuckles and stares her up and down._

_She meets Hudson a bit later. Joey is two years more experienced than her, but it was part of their trainings to have an experienced team member to achieve better goals under their instructions. All those years she got to know her, Elena always thought of her as a very prideful young woman who knew how to fight for herself. She gave her invaluable lessons and they quickly became very good friends. Hudson helped her during harsh moments and protected her as her little sister from that moron Staci in need. They always spent their weekends together, laughing and sharing the moments of their lives. She has already learnt about Joey's fiancé and their plans to move to Colorado once they got married. She also learnt about her brother, who wanted to voluntarily join the Marine Forces._

_That's why her heart shatters when she thinks about her again. She always knew Hudson being strong and unbreakable woman. The exact type John liked to have time with. She can only imagine the horrible things he's done to her while she was running from one region to the other and what he has already planned to do, when he learnt about her runaway from the chamber. She imagines him with wide sadistic smile, cutting into her skin while she shrieks, striking her with the whip..._

 

     "Hudson!" She screams with open mouth and her eyes snap open. She only sees darkness. But not the wild darkness. She's in a room, as she notices. She's lying in the bed on hard mattress, with her hands free. 'I'm not captured...' And she sighs with relief. She slowly runs her hand over her neck and shoulders and feels ache. She closes her eyes and for a moment she starts thinking about her dreams. _Nightmares_. The ones she always had since meeting Staci Pratt. Those that are even harsher than the ones she just had. The _new_ ones she acquired since failing in her first and only mission. She doesn't acknowledge when the doors open. "Look who's awake. Good to see ya back," a voice rings in her ears and she tries her best to pretend as if she was still adrift. She slowly opens her eyes again and turns her head to the right noticing a dark silhouette of a person, leaning against the doorways. "Who are you?" She whispers into the darkness when lights are suddenly turned on and she quickly shuts her eyes, hiding them with her arms. She hears footsteps approaching her and a soft hand slowly squeezes her right side under her breast. She lets a moan and cries out in pain. She opens her eyes that still are trying to adapt to the sudden brightness. She turns to her right side and leans against her right elbow, trying to ease the pain. "Your rib is broken." The male voice tells her and she nods in agreement. Until her gaze stops on two pairs of shoes. And she freezes. She can always recognize them. They belong to no one else but...  "The hell..." She widens her eyes once lifting her eyes. "Mhmm." He smirks at her and when she tries to get up from the bed, he grabs her shoulders and pushes her back onto the bed. "Gonna stay here for a while, _kitten_."  _Kitten? How dares her after everything he'd pulled on her._ She would gladly punch into his face for mocking her with new nicknames. "Broken rib. Other bruises. Oh and yeah..." He points at her left leg. "A bite mark. Probably rattlesnake's." She furrows her eyebrows. "What? Don't tell me never crossed one before?!" He chuckles and scoffs at her when she shakes her head, slowly sitting in the bed. "Well, lucky day then."

    He takes a seat next to her and examines her palms that are even more bruised then any other part of her body. He lowers his head and shakes. "Never considered wearing gloves, _kitten_?" Again that shitty nickname. But somehow she feels it suits her. _A kitty with claws_. That's how her mother's 'boyfriend' Robin Homes liked to describe her. But she knew she was a lot shy. Maybe too shy, especially when surrounded by unfamiliar people. But this... this was her enemy and she shouldn't be. He raises his eyebrow at her and she closes her eyes for a second. "Never considered the Resistance not _ever_ offered me anythin' for free?" She looks at him and chuckles. He answers her with soft smile and she thinks if anyone had ever seen him smiling before. "Gotta admit, you put a hell of a hunting out there for me." He observes her features. "Never chased any prey like you for so long. Usually they just surrender. They know when they see the _Alpha_." _Alpha_. She could laugh at this for good long hours. If he considered himself an Alpha, he had no idea of who she was. And she was more than glad to show him. _Little steps_ , Elena. Little steps. He takes a medkit from the nearby table and pulls out a bandage. He then stands up and reaches the ice box, taking some cubes and extending towards her. "Put those on your palms." She takes them with hesitation, still trying to understand why he's taking such care of her. He takes his place near the windowsill and looks through the window. 

    "Beautiful morning, huh?" He looks at the sky when his gaze drops on her and their eyes meet. "Morning?" She gets confused. "For how long...?" She wants to stand up but her leg is still aching, so she rejects her choice. "You were out for two days. Doctor said it could be longer. But you're tougher than I thought." She smiles at him until he adds an insult to make her roll her eyes. "But still... _a coward_." She feels a shiver running down her spine when she hears sudden screams and noises outside, like growling. "Where are we? Where's Hurk?" She tries to get as much information from him as possible, while he leans forward and wraps the bandage around her hands. "You ask too many questions, Dep." It sounds like a warning to her but she wouldn't be _the_ Deputy, if she didn't try. "He's my friend and I'm curious. That's all." He meets her eyes and opens his mouth to speak, but quickly shuts it up and carries on with his ministrations. He crouches down on one kneel and for a second she fucks with her head thinking _if he was gonna propose to her_. 'Yeah, if you can expect a ring bein' in a medkit, idiot.' She shakes her head and giggles, thinking about the proposal of Jacob Seed. He's probably gonna send hunters after _his_ woman, force her to eat raw meat and then choke on it, spitting out a bullet he was firstly hit with in his army times or the one he used to kill his first prey. Then he will gladly tie it with threads and force it to be put around her neck. 'Fuckin' proposal...' She found herself deeply thinking, staring into his face when he cut her. "It's impolite to stare, _kitten_." He glares at her and she quickly averted her gaze. " _Sorry_."  _Why is she apologising, when he's the one who put her through all this hell in the first place... "_ So, where's he?" She still challenges him. She can't stop thinking about her friend since she last saw him. "Dunno." He opens his mouth and she watches as a muscle in his jaw twitches. "Fuckin' haven't seen that idiot since the explosion. My primarily target's immediately set on your back." The corners of her mouth quirks up. "Took you quite long hours to finally get me. Great thanks to that damn snake..." She turns her head to the other side of the room. There's nothing she could use as a weapon. Only small table with a lamp on it and some other mattresses. But she's here alone. "Got there just in time. Couldn't move you. Ya know, the gravity and blood flow and everything else. The doc was sent there and saved your ass. You're fuckin' blessed." She's quite happy it wasn't for Jacob to save her. She can't imagine him sucking the venom himself. It wouldn't have helped and she wonders if he knew that. 

    She never thought of his skin being so soft before. She saw the bruises, the cuts, the wounds before, but seeing them from that close made her want to touch them, to take care for them. 'The hell.' She catches herself caring for this idiot again. 'The hell's wrong with you. He's a serious killer. He'd gladly kill you.' So, she dies in silence and just stares at how carefully he takes care of her. Then something growls in front of her and she raises her eyes to see a wolf. But she can't call it a wolf. It's different... "Is that a fuckin' joke?" She grimaces and widens her eyes. "The hell have you done with this innocent wild animal? Are _you_..." She stares at him for a moment in a questioning look and then drops in silence nodding her head. _Not even a question_... "You're that _idiot_ who created that goddamn _Moose_ , ain't ya?" She laughs at her own statement and Jacob tilts his head and looks at her with boiling eyes. "I ain't gonna tell you twice. Watch your mouth, before I cut that tongue of yours." He takes the knife from his holster twisting it in his hand, as to show her who was in charge, before cutting the bandage. When she first got into the church he spot him having the guns and that knife. Then she, as the real cop, wanted to ask if he got a permission to keep them. But she never thought of it being so huge. She started wondering if he liked big things because he himself was... She started shaking her head again. Damn that Adelaide Drubman. Her sins are contagious like hell. _'We should take some photos of that guy. Shirtless, preferably. You know, for... intelligent purposes_.' Yeah, she won't miss the chance to ask Jacob Seed himself to take a selfie with her near his _'You are meat_ ' poster. _For intelligent purposes. Right._ She once again gets lost in her thoughts when Jacob is first to snap her from them. "'Sides. Gotta a visitor." She looks at him confused. "Yep," he states with a smirk. "Peaches!" He calls out and Deputy tries her best not to move, digesting the information that just entered her brains. She looks at him again. "When did you get the mountain lion here?" She asks with narrowed eyes and he answers with a grin, she prays to one day wipe away from his face.

    And it comes quicker than she thought. Not it. _Him_. The same guy she wanted to punch each time she spot. He stands in the doorways with lowered head and not dares to meet her gaze. He definitely endured more than she ever wished. He had a cut through his right eyebrow, a cut on his right cheek, who where burning in red shade, his neck was covered with dark bruises, probably from strangling, and a dark circle around his swollen right eye. Seeing all this raises a sick feeling in her stomach. "What did you do to him?!" She growls at the eldest Seed with anger. He lifts his eyebrow and then turns to look at her _co_ -worker. "Peaches?" The latter raises his eyes to meet his own. "You told me she hates your guts... Doesn't seem like that." She sees Staci's hands shaking. "I do." She interrupts before Jacob does anything to Pratt again. "For a lot of reasons. But that doesn't mean I have no heart even for assholes like him." She boldly states and intrigues Jacob. "Oh, yeah?" He starts mocking her again. "Did you show all that pity to our people then? 'Cause, seeing the reports growing every second, doesn't seem like that." He folds his arms and shows a slight grin.

    She knows better than to fight with the _King of words_. Without hesitation she stands on her shaking legs in huge pain chest to chest level with him and answers him with a smile. "It's called _self-defense_." He nods at her and reaches in his pocket for a _music box_? She heard people saying what he's done to his hostages and his recruits. This music box made them mindless monsters and she knew better than to run her mouth again. "Self-defense..." He scoffs at her and grabs by her shirt, tightening his grip and sending her forward until she crashes into the wall of his thick muscled chest. "That's right." She tries to defend herself. "If your men hadn't started shooting at me on spot, I wouldn't have done that..." His eyes pierces her own ones and he releases her from his grip, pushing her down on the mattress and looking at Pratt, who's still standing behind him with lowered head. "Ya see, Deputy. Your _friend_ here is already familiar with rules. But you..." He points his finger at her. "You still act as though nothing's gonna happen. You think you have control _here_?" He doesn't let her answer. There's no answer here after all. "I saved you because Joe wanted this, not because I think you're worth that." He scolds her. "You're weak. A disappointment and I still can't figure what he sees in you. And I don't care. I'm gonna show that _weak_ have their purposes. I'm gonna make you strong."  _Make me strong._ And she nearly laughs at his boldness. "Rest while you can..." His grin vanishes and he looks at her with a predator's gaze. "And behave. Eli and his Militia are not here. And I'm sure as hell not gonna treat you like a _princess_." She wants to counter him and tell him she has nothing to do with this man but he once again carries on. He takes a pair of handcuffs from behind him and she rolls her eyes sighing. "Seriously?" She raises an eyebrow. "And where can I go with this?" She extends her left leg and points at it. "You come as surprise, _honey_." He smiles and cuffs one of her hands to the headboard. Then turns around and calls one of his guards motioning to her. "Keep an eye on her. Don't leave your post until I say so. If she needs anythin', firstly inform me." The guard nods. "Yes, sir." He looks at her once again before motioning for Pratt to follow him. "Oh and before I forgot." He looks at her over his shoulder. "Your trials begin tomorrow. So, don't let me down. Otherwise you'll see how mad I can _sometimes_ be." He takes the music box with him and heads to the doors. "Wait! What?! You said I'm gonna be here for a while!" She nearly jumps from the bed trying to reach for him to look at her, but he doesn't. She watches as the ginger man disappears just around the corner and she meets Pratt's gaze. His eyes are red, watery and he looks at her with slight concern. "You okay?" She whispers and makes a smirk. He nods and turns to go, before he stops and looks at her again. "I'm sorry, Rook." He starts sobbing. "For everythin' I've done. You didn't deserve any of this. You didn't deserve to be here." She wants to stand up and hug him but her leg stops her from any movements, the restraints as well. "It's not your fault." They look at each other like this for a few more minutes before suddenly a rough loud voice reaches their ears. "Peaches! Not gonna say it twice!" 

    The former Deputy keeps looking at her before he reaches his hand in his pocket and takes out a small slice of bread what surprises her. He turns around to see the guard being with his back to them and puts it into the palm. "Don't let them see. Stole from yesterday. Keep it... for the _black day_." He says quietly after a second and she nods softly smirking at him. "Don't let him get into your head tomorrow or you're gonna be trapped forever." He warns her and leans back. "You..." She starts but stops deeply thinking. "I haven't told him anythin' about that night, Rook." He whispers. "He has no slightest idea. Don't worry." She blinks a few times digesting what he just said. 'Why did he risk his own sake for her? Right now after whole these years?' She smiles at him and closes her eyes. "You should go before he returned." Pratt lowers his head and heads towards the door and makes a grin when he hears her soft calming voice once again. "Thank you, _Staci_." He looks at her once again with a smile. After so many years she managed to call him by his first name with gentleness in her voice. After all those years of their enmity, they still felt some kindness towards each other...  Though, they both know it was temporal. 


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Deputy's annoying demeanour just makes Jacob send her through the trials.

She doesn't know how much time passes, as she still lies there in the bed with a tied wrist to the headboard. Her hand muscles have already started aching from the lack of movements and she tries her best not to move that much.

The last part she remembers when Pratt leaves her here in the dark room all alone. When she opened her eyes the first time, she could still see a beam of sunlight. The third time she then found a glass of water put on the table next to the bed. A few hours later the was a pile of clothes next to her on the bed. Now, though, she was lying in total darkness motionless. She sighs heavily and wraps her arm over her eyes. She can’t bear the loneliness anymore.

There’s some sort of feeling she’s being watched. She doesn’t know if she’s truly here alone and it makes her shiver slightly. There’s a sudden squeaking sound which quickly is silenced by floor crunching.

"Hello!" She screams with open mouth. "Anyone's there?!" When she doesn’t get an answer, she carefully lifts herself and uses her hand to lean against the bed, slowly getting herself into a sitting position, near the headboard. Still nothing. She can't see anything and it scares the shit out of her. She hasn't developed nyctophobia. Not yet at least. But not knowing the surroundings, only be able to touch things without seeing didn't help at all. She remembers there was  a pile of clothes and takes the top one, examining it with her fingertips. Must be a shirt. Quite a large one. Probably one of the Chosen’s or even Jacob’s himself. A few sniffs and her nose wrinkles from a very acrid smell. _Gross_ . She makes a disdainful grimace but the clothes she wears since being captured make her feel uncomfortable enough for her to change her mind. She hears footsteps and then hears the creaking sound of the doors. The light coming from the corridor illuminates the small silhouette of a person, now standing in the doorway, and she notices his medium length dark hair and chin curtain style beard. _Well, at least not Jacob._ She sighs with relief when the man comes into the room holding a tray, something inside makes her smile slightly and she realizes how this lack of conversation bothered her all the way long.

She has never preferred solitary life even if making friends wasn't an easy task for her. Years passed and she still found herself very uncomfortable around strangers. Even when she first came to Hope County and has been saved by Dutch, it took her days before she could trust the man. Now, though, he became her friend, her _father_. Everything’s changed when she met Sharky.

Damn stupid pyromaniac as she recalls Dutch speech nearly lit her on fire when she ran out of ammo while fighting those goddamn Angels and climbed onto the rooftop for temporal protection. People said he was crazy. Whenever he went, the fire just followed him. She can even remember Sheriff telling her about the young man, real bad news. Each time they somehow managed to catch him, he always ruined every jail cell he ever set a foot in. No one could ever change Charlemagne Victor Boshaw IV. It was mission impossible. But not for the _Junior Deputy_ , who instead of arresting the fire enthusiast decided to befriend him. He has that joy of life in him, even when everyone else is terrified of the tomorrow. And he always found a way to entertain her.

Then she met Adelaide Drubman. An unpredictable but very lovely woman, who never missed a chance to make fun of her. Especially when all the conversation turned about the Seeds. And just like always, she found new ways to make her embarrassed. Especially that time when her boy toy Xander asked for her help. She would never forget their flirting, just like the rest of Hope County, as the _probie_ forgot to switch the frequency and as a result, left it set on a local one for everyone to hear. Still, she was so motherly and caring who managed to light her mood even when she was deeply in shit till neck.

And then it was her son, Hurk. They made a perfect _Fantastic ~~Stupid~~ Four _team. If asked who she loved most of all, the Junior Deputy couldn't make the right choice. One's absence meant emptiness in her heart and she couldn't imagine her being without either of them. Yes, they separated at some points during her missions but they have never been left apart for longer than a day and a half. Until now. She loves her brothers, she loves her biological family but she always felt being a bit aloof. She knew her as sister's duties but she never got along with them well, mainly because her brothers had their own inner bond being twins.

That’s why she always dreamed about the friendship worth her time and love, the true one. Even if she could call only a small proportion of people as _real friends_ . The ones, who instead of giving advice, solutions, and moralizing, rather chose to sit beside her and share their pain, feel it _literally_ , cry and laugh together and touch the wounds with a tender but warm hand. And that's what she found in her fellows. She remembers the times when she, Hurk and Sharky sat on the truck bonnet in silence, in moments of despair, grief or confusion, who never dig into her past, but instead listened when she was most vulnerable and powerless, who cheered her up when she was too upset. These ones are friends who care. And it doesn't matter what others thought of them. Being around them made her feel free, she could let her guard down, knowing she was safe and protected, she could laugh, she could smile, she could be childish...

She doesn't feel when the corners of her mouth turn up, instead, she sinks deeply in her thoughts. Suddenly, the lights flick on and she quickly wipes the tears running down her cheeks.

"No time for cryin', darling. You're here of your own fault." He places the tray on the table and hands the bowl to her. It's still warm and it makes her feel better. She's not used to cold weather, luckily it hasn't been that cold in Hope County yet, but the radiators didn't heat the rooms enough and the nailed windows didn't allow for the sunlight to illuminate the room. She barely felt her feet and her whole body was shivering from the lack of bedsheets.

"What time is it?" She clears her throat to speak while holding the bowl in between her palms, trying to get as much warmth as possible.

"Quite past midnight." He answers peacefully. She nods in agreement and takes a better look at the content in the bowl. It's something that she has never tasted before, something's like raw meat, mixed with yellow-green juices, and the disgust immediately fills her stomach.

"Not hungry." She states, though her stomach is constantly rumbling.

"Suit yourself." The man doesn't seem to be interested in this whole conversation and he places the bowl on the tray and takes it. Before he turns around he shoots her glowering look. "I'd behave if I were you. You don't know what Jacob does with the most disobedient ones." He straightens and glances at her with a hostile expression. She quickly answers with a slight smirk on her face.

"We'll see." He shakes his head a few times before turns to the doors a second time and freezes. "What? Forgot to add an in-?"

She stops interrogating the peggie when she moves a bit to the right, noticing a huge barrel-chested man. He's wearing a short-sleeved green top that exposes his muscular arms and the Deputy already swallows hard. _Why Eden's Gate had the sexiest men in this whole county._ She notices his hairstyle: around the hairline, she can see a clean line up, the top hair left medium length, dark brown and styled into a parted comb-over. What distinguishes him from any other peggie is his clean-shaved chin. He has an earring in his right ear and the right side of his neck, as well as his forearms, are marked with bold tattoos. She also spots _wrath_ being curved on his inner side of an arm. He doesn't say a word and just motions for the cultist to leave. When the doors behind him close, he takes a closer step to the bed and sits on the corner.

"So?" She tilts her head to the right and raises her eyebrow, giving him a questionable look. "I didn't inherit hyperthymesia, but still can recognize people I've met before. In your case, who the hell _are_ you?" He glares at her and bites his cheek.

"First questions first, Junior Deputy," he addresses her by her full title and she shrugs.

"Fine. What d'ya want?" She looks at him with an unreadable expression, while rubbing palms.

"You haven't eaten." She shrugs again not giving him an answer. "You cold?" _No shit._ What does he think she's doing? Expecting something positive coming from a dangerous murderous cultist or waiting for a promotion? "Yeah, I know. The heating system here is screwed. Ya know, old building and all." She doesn't say anything, just keeps staring at the young man and he sighs from frustration. "Let's not fiddle about..."

"Why are you here?" She slowly enunciates her question and keeps looking at his eyes, trying to find any indication of danger.

"Jacob's not happy about your state. He's gonna waste days until you recover."

"What-a-shame." She scoffs sarcastically and averts her gaze to the doors.

"I'm surprised you went through all of that shit barely bruised and scratched. I always thought of the Deputy being a firm, huge and intimidating woman and what I see now..."

"Didn't exceed your expectations. I got that." She finishes for him and grins. He looks deeply into her eyes and for a second she feels warmth in her chest. His look is full of goodness and honesty, and he already rises in her _favourites_ list. Maybe she could make him trust her, show him her softer side and then escape. "You're visibly disappointed, I see." She gazes at him, examining his posture and the pistol, who is so temptingly asking to be taken from his holster.

"Quite the opposite." He smiles and without knowing what she's doing she does the same. "Never met anyone so soft on the inside and so strong and hard on the outer side. A prickly pear. You amaze me. And if Jacob's been honest with himself, he would admit that too." She chuckles and smiles widely.

"Nah, he just hates my guts. Would gladly stab me in the chest without any warning. That's for sure." He lowers his head and for a moment she believes if she wanted she could quickly take his handgun, but she wants to see where it all's going. So, she sits still, waiting for his next words.

"Jacob believes you're weak, though, we both know that's not true. When anger fills him, he becomes irrational. Simple as that.. And now, he thinks the best way is to break you. I don't approve this. So, I'm asking you... What should I do with ya, Deputy?" He doesn't allow her to answer and just carries on. "You took our outposts, killed our faithful and soldiers, destroyed our properties. The smartest thing for me is to obey and make you suffer. On the other hand, I see the potential in you. If you gave in and let him lead you towards Eden's Gate, you wouldn't regret this. And..." He peers at her, not daring to avert his gaze. "I'm sure Jacob has an eye for ya, even if he never admits it. We both see a good one when we spot one. So, if you listened to him rather than defying him in every step, maybe he wouldn't brainwash you and go hard on you during the training. Maybe you'd even get benefits for staying willingly." She lowers her gaze to his handgun once again.

For some reason, she finds his words very tempting. No less tempting looks the gun in his holster.

"Or you could hand me over this gun of yours and I promise I'll leave you alive. I'll just go through those gates and you're not gonna see me again. _Probably_." And he chuckles, spotting her wrist being cuffed to the headboard.

"I'm gonna take these off, so you could change, you'd better not try anythin' stupid." He takes a key from his pocket and she widens her eyes that are now glittering with excitement. _That's my chance._ She thinks for a second when she hears voices behind the doors. He stands up, heads towards her and uncuffs her wrist. While she rubs it with her other hand, she notices him taking a dark jacket from the pile and tossing it over to her. "Get dressed." He turns around for a few minutes and she quickly pulls the shirt off and takes the large one. She then takes the jacket and thrusts it on, slowly getting from the bed.

"You ain't gonna send me through the trials now, are you? It's midnight." She looks at him with fear when another electrical current pierces her upper body and she remembers her still broken rib.

"Depends..."

"On?" She raises her eyebrow and closes her mouth.

"Jacob." And she rolls her eyes. _That bastard's not gonna go easy on me._ He leads her towards the doors and allows her to lean to his body, while they both get upstairs. "Straight and to the right," the young man orders and she nods once again. Maybe he wasn't as strong as Jacob, but he surely could easily crush her with his arms if wanted. He opens the double doors for her and she immediately is met with a long office table with a lot of radios and screens on it. _Does he really need that many devices to track one person?_  She giggles. The man nods towards and when she takes a few more steps, she hears doors suddenly closing.

"Look, who's up." Another voice rings in her ears and when she turns her head slightly to the left she spots Jacob standing up from his own bed. His eyes red and dark circles around them. The whole room is a mess as she notices. The smell is disgusting and wrinkles her nose immediately. "How are ya?" He crosses his arms over his chest and spreads his legs a bit.

"Still sucking air, as you see. But why askin'? Like it's somethin' you care about." She boldly states and looks at him.

"I don't." She rolls her eyes once again and looks around. Her attention is quickly drawn by the posters hanging up on the wall. There's also a bunch of folded maps on top of the desk with some photos attached. She notices different coloured threads crossing with each other over the map she assumes to be of his region. She gets closer and examines them. There's one photo of a man, having a Garibaldi style beard and long dark hair what makes her laugh.

"You're what, an archaeologist?" She snaps him from his thoughts.

"Huh?" He grunts.

"Well, it seems you're greatly intrigued with the cavemen. Modern ones I mean. With clothes." She sizes him up and bites her lower lip. "Is that one of the kinks of yours?" She raises her eyebrows that high they nearly hide behind the mess of her hair. She tries to suppress her laughter. He doesn't answer, just blankly stares at her. "So that's your control room? And this one must be Eli. Yep, definitely very dangerous, very wild fluffy bear." She chuckles. "Le’me tell ya, I was the danger _at the beginning_. I showed them how to fight back, yes. Now, though. They don't care about me..." She takes the photo of what she assumes to be Eli and examines it closer. "I'm done with the Resistance thing. I just like spending time with my friends around and making fun for ourselves. No more idiotic tasks, only the ones worth my time." She says and puts the photo back, slowly making her way towards Jacob.

“Is that so?” He chuckles. “And what they made you do? Baking cupcakes, fixing their broken tires and buying household goods?” He asks and smiles at her.

"Close." She nods. "Anyways, I'd be ashamed if anyone found about how their so-called Leader and Hero was chucking rocks into cows' asses to drive them back to pens, finding their irrigation pipes and my special one - gathering testicles.” He nearly chokes on her last announcement. "Yep. That's what I thought. Anyways, it was a memorable one. A task sent directly from Hope County’s best chef’s mouth. So, yeah… he decided that I was worth enough to do this job, so he sent me back there at Davenport’s to humiliate myself in front of the locals. Cool.” She spots how Jacob pinches the bridge of his nose, listening to her. It was a funny story, though. "Well, the best part was using the tractor mulcher. Oh boy, so much fun. Damn, if only Sharky saw all those things... Nevermind. Thanks to you all I didn't even have a chance to see how they were gulping on this shit. I don’t think Kim would ever kiss Nick if he ate one.." He shakes his head and stops her by raising his hand.

"Enough of that bullshit."

She looks at him confused. "It's not bullshit. I'm telling you a part of my life. You could have at least listened. ‘Sides, gotta kill ya know as you already know that." She folds her arms over her chest and ignores him. Then she suddenly hears him laughing and it's the first time she hears the generous one.

"Who could guess, huh?" His mouth twitched, as if he tried to suppress a forming smile.

"Yeah, that's not exactly what you thought I've been doing this whole time." The smile in her face even widens more when she notices a safe, standing in the corner and for a second she thinks if she could find a gun there.

"You're full of surprises, honey." He finally speaks again and rounds the table, sitting in his chair and motioning for her to do the same.

"Yeah, so I've been told." She takes a seat opposite from him and examines the notes on the map.

“It’s never too late to come home, kitten." She raises her eyebrow. _Home._ She could never call this place home. "But I’m not gonna be John and try to convert ya. Not gonna waste my time on this, though, it would be funny to see the face of the friends of yours once you joined.”

“Well… Sharky would probably make a jacobecue from you. So, I don’t think they will be sad at all. Though, after the party they’re gonna miss me.” She places her hands over her thighs and looks down, feeling him leaning forward. "You know… I spent days thinking of what my life could be if I haven’t escaped when that idiot Burke left us all. And I came to the conclusion…”

“Which is?” He doesn’t look amused and just blankly stares at her.

She leans forward and smirks. “I’da been fucked as shit.”

He suddenly grabs her by the lapels of her jacket and pulls her towards himself.

“I’ve already told you what would happen if you ran that mouth of yours, Deputy.” She scoffs and swats his hands away, leaning in the chair.

“Don’t beat around the bush. Just tell me why I’m here. If you wanted to go on date, you coulda just asked. Being here is not a very suitable place for any romance thing...” He looks at her with a stern look and she quickly adds: “you hate so much.” She folds her arms over her chest and looks at him with anger. “Actually, you could have waited just a bit. I was planning to start my duties in the Mountains soon. Thought about this once taking John's house and Rye's plane. But no… stubborn old man.”

"Stop being a child.” She shakes her head and looks at the map instead. There are some circled places she’s never been in before and she wonders if they belonged to the Resistance. “You're not the one to lead, Deputy." He stands from his chair and rounds her, resting his hands on either side of the armchairs. “With the right hand, you could be much more.” She looks at him with a smirk. “You’re the one to follow the right people. Those idiots are just sitting down in their bunkers sending orders to everyone, me…” He leans into her personal space and she feels herself shivering. Not from fear, though. “I send orders and I lead. I train and I fight along. That’s the main difference between me and _them._ ” He points to the balcony. What she doesn't expect is his soft gentle gesture that makes her burn inside, as he puts her strand of hair behind her ear in a very tempting way. “The weak have their purpose. You’re gonna understand that soon enough.” _Weak?_  Has he just called her weak again or was he referring to the Resistance out there? _What purpose_?

She saw the markings on the walls saying 'The weak must be culled,' and she thinks if it was their purpose to be culled, thus letting her improve. She paints an image in her head of how she is killing her people. Worst of all, when she is killing her team. _No._ She can't do this. She pulls away from him, swatting his hand away.

“I can’t betray them. It’s too late,” she says firmly and turns her head to the other side. She hears him sighing heavily. “You’re a bit overdue. Must have thought the moment you reached for me in that wreckage.”

"Seems you like when I’m rough, huh? That's okay. There are other ways to force you to join us."

He doesn't wait long before heads past her towards his desk and takes his usual spot. "Gonna be honest here, Dep. Don't think you're gonna be very cooperative. But still... willing to tell me where the Wolf's Den is?" He raises his eyebrow and she scoffs.

"How many fuckin' times do I have to tell you... I. Don't. Know. I've never met Eli!" She raises her voice and he slams his fist into the desk leaning forward.

"Watch your mouth." They both stare at each other for long minutes before Jacob sighs and takes a folder from the drawer. She quickly recognizes the papers. The same ones that were held in the Department. "So, Elena Marie Meyers." He scans through the text. "Twenty-seven. Born in Great Falls. Two brothers, parents divorced. No personal life. Blah blah blah..." She closes her eyes for a second, steadying her breathing. "Graduated from Police Academy, worked in different places, then moved to Department at Montana a few months ago. Fresh meat. _Probie_ ." He closes the folder. _God, is he going to be the next calling her by that idiotic nickname Pratt has given her?_ "Quite a boring profile for such a talented being. Anythin' to add?" He tosses it, sending it on the ground past her and continues glaring at her with a stern look. She shrugs a bit and looks at the screens. "Don't know much about ya, but I'm sure you're hidin' something." She notices two people running in the woods with white Judges on their heels. They seem to be heading north from Rae-Rae's farm. "I'm speaking to you, soldier." He barks at her and she looks at him. "Well, means I'll have to do a bit of diggin' here. Never mind." He stands and rounds her again, putting his rough calloused hands on her shoulders and she nearly jumps from sudden contact. "Eventually I'll figure you out." He whispers into her ear and she does her best to suppress the new feelings overwhelming her. _Psychotic bastard. Must have taken him down when she had a chance._

"Do what you have to and I'll do my own." She silently whispers hoping he heard her.

"We're not gonna negotiate, Deputy. You'll stay here until Joseph says otherwise. And I still..." He turns her around and leans into her personal space once again. "I still hope, that he'll change his mind. I'll be the first to pull the trigger." He smirks and she feels his blue eyes piercing into her skin.

"Good luck." She smiles in return. “Is this all you wanted to say, _sir_?” She mocks him and he sighs loudly from annoyance.

He straightens back and moves towards the desk, resting his ass cheeks against it. “The best way to shape a soldier into an obedient one is to take all human rights from him. Dehumanize him into pets.” She feels herself shivering. _Would it be late if I agreed to join?_ “You’ve already been introduced with the first part. Darkness around, even if you’re just in a room. But at the same time you feel someone’s presence and you let the fear consume you. _Weak_. Here we train you not to be ignorant of what you can expect. There are no right or wrong actions. It’s everything about surviving. You overcome the innate revulsion to killing when it’s you or them. No resistance left. Now, though. You fear making decisions and you fear the consequences. This makes you stress, leading you to weakness.” His eyes pierce her through and she starts choking.

“You all talk about saving and God, and now you’re talking the exact opposite of what God wants from us. He said Himself, ‘you shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to jud-”

“It’s what Joseph believes in,” he suddenly interupts her. “though, he makes mistakes as well. I don’t know if he talks to God, it doesn’t matter. This world is weak… soft. And it is my duty to make his flock strong for the future. And you…” He points his index finger at her and narrows his eyes. “You’re not gonna stop us. And if you try… you’re not gonna like what’s goin’ to happen, kitten.”  He reaches for the radio on the desk and murmurs something, though, she can’t clearly hear it. “Next part starts now.” He says and she hears doors opening and loud footsteps nearing her. “Take her to the cage.” He barks an order and she jumps from her spot, widening her eyes. “No food. No water. Will break eventually.” He doesn’t listen when she shouts at him, begging for mercy, just turns around, his back facing her and carries on looking at the reports.

 

She slowly opens her eyes when she hears uproar coming from the outside. She notices Jacob’s soldiers pounding bodies in and out of the cages, corpses being thrown into the pens full of Judges. She spots how children are being separated from men and women and thrown into trucks leaving the Vet Center. _Violence… Pain… Death… Tears_ …. It’s too much.

One of the hunters drags a lifeless body to the center of the yard, pierced with arrows, while the other violently slams his boot into his body. She doesn’t acknowledge when tears fill her eyes from the view in front, until two yellow military boots come in front of her and she quickly shuts her eyes, pretending as if she was sleeping.

“Wake up, Deputy. You have a guest.” She groans and opens her eyes, raising them enough to look at his face. She notices dark circles around his eyes, that were already redden and watery from the lack of sleep. Just like before.

“Now what?” She scolds him while crawling in front and reaching for the bars, trying to steady herself. He doesn’t answer and just back a bit away. And then… she meets the Father.

 _Oh, God. He found a shirt!_ She wants to laugh at her own thoughts but it’s not the time. She’s in danger. In captivity.

“I know you’re in pain…” He crouches down to her level and tightly wraps his own hand around hers. “The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh, huh?” He smirks at her and for a second lowers his gaze. “Ya know, when I first saw you back then in the church, I thought He laughed at me.” She raises an eyebrow but her mouth sets in a hard line. “For a second I thought that I was mistaken, that I was a  fool. Jacob laughed when I told about my visions and that Voice. And then… you didn’t walk away.”

“It was my job.” She simply states, not daring to add anything else. Least she wanted was to hear Jacob’s outburst about her talking back again.

“It wasn’t just that.” He stops her before she said anything more. “We both know that.” His voice is cold and she feels herself shivering. “You wanted that good looking on your profile. Just like the marshal. _Pride_. A very dangerous sin. And here, when I thought I didn’t understand God’s plan, you survived everything. You escaped. And... you took Dutch island. In only a few days, followed by destruction in Henbane and Valley.” He squeezes her hand painfully and she hisses from pain. “You’re always testing me. My patience. My kindness. And as always, I’ll be given you another chance, one after another…” He looks at her with kind expression but it seems he doesn’t care about her present state. She squeezes her eyes shut when another pain runs through her body, when she tries to lift herself a bit.

“I told ya so.” She lifts her gaze to Jacob, who then shakes his head and turns to look at Pratt, innocently and quietly standing behind Joseph. When she returns her look to the Father, she spots sadness. He raises his right hand and looks at the inner side. She notices a tattoo there, but it’s too dark around for her to find out what’s written there. But these are not letters, she notices, when Joseph extends it in front of her. It’s a picture.

“Did you know that I had a wife? Beautiful, isn’t she?” She looks at the tattoo for a second before lifting her eyes and locking her with his. _Beautiful is not that word._ “We were pregnant with our first child.” He smiles with all his teeth, not looking at her. “We were babies ourselves really. And I was terrified.” He chuckles and she finds herself smiling at the cult leader. _Who had known he had a family… A baby._

She has always thought about having a family but when you really want something, you really believe something good happening, the life always finds a way to break all faith. For a second she lifts her eyes and notices Jacob’s shift. He looks prideful, his hands freely hanging on either sides, while he just stands there always keeping an eye contact with her and Pratt.

“Becoming a father. Most about money.” Joseph wiggles his head and smiles at her with all teeth. “But she wasn’t worried… She had faith. She always had faith.”

He looks past her and for a second she swears she can feel her heart melting. She liked people telling their stories; more importantly Joseph Seed revealed something about himself.

“And then one day she was going to visit a friend. And…” She finds herself leaning towards him, as if she sensed something bad. “There was an accident. And the Lord taketh.” His eyes full of sadness not daring to look straight to her face and he just looks past her, deeply in his thoughts. Her own eyes fill with tears and she can’t help herself of how many times she had been crying in front of Seeds.

“I’m so sorry, Joseph.” She whispers and lowers her eyes to the ground. “I haven’t known that.”

“They rushed me to the hospital and put me in a room with this little pink bundle stuffed with tubes and they said that I had to be strong because my baby girl was going to live… God was looking out for our daughter.” _She’s alive._ She finds herself thinking of how his daughter looked like. Blue eyes, the feature of their family, black hair, tied with different coloured pinches. She must look just as her father or mother. “And they left me alone in a room with her. I just… stared… at my daughter. So helpless. So innocent. And all she had in world was me. A nobody, from nowhere, for nothing. And in that moment I knew God was testing me…” She furrows her eyebrows. _A test?_ “He was lying a path for me and all I gotta do was choose.” She slowly pulls out her hands from his grip and reaches to wrap her own onto his. When suddenly… “And I took my fingers and I put them on that little plastic tube that was taped to her angelic face and I pinched it shut… Mmmm….” Her eyes widen when the realization strikes her. She notices Jacob’s head tilting forward, his face unreadable. _Did he know? Did he…?_ She wants to back away, tears rolling down her cheeks, but Joseph quickly grabs her jacket in a tight fist and looks directly into her eyes. “And after a little while her legs began to kick and kick… and then nothing.”

“You… you killed your own daughter?” She tries to digest what he said. She can’t believe it. Murderous. All of them. “You’re crazy…” She shakes with fear as he tightens his grip on her.

“The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh.” He lifts her from the ground. “Pain. Sacrifice. These are all part of His tests. Only have to prove that we can serve God. No matter what He asks.” He releases her and turns to Jacob, who stands there still, not making eye contact with anyone, instead he steps forward and looks at his younger brother, but she can’t say if that’s disgust or respect. She is too broken in heart, hearing all of this.

Of course, she remembers the sacrifice of Isaac. A trial Abraham passed completely because of his total faith to God. But it was different. God was testing his loyalty but just as he raised the knife to slay his only son, He asked not to harm his son. Because God is merciful, God is loving.

The God would never allow anyone to sacrifice his own child. Not then, not now. He has already sacrificed his own son Christ to cleanse us all, what it meant for other child to be sacrificed as well?

No… Joseph wasn’t talking to God. He was hearing the satan. This was the only explanation. And for devil’s plan he used his brothers, his family… She feels hatred and anger, her blood already boiling.

The God has given Himself for us, an offering and sacrifice to God for us to be saved. And this man, who believes himself to be led by God Himself, he is hypocrite. Devil’s child who tricks everyone and misguides them. And she hates him even more. She hates him for deluding his siblings, for hurting people. How can a man who killed his own child share love with others? He’s full of anger, full of rage, there’s nothing good in this person. A liar… a manipulator… a _murderer._

He retreats from her and pats Jacob’s shoulder, whispering something into his ears. And with that he leaves…

“You really believe in this child homicide?” He raises her eyebrow. “Did you know he killed his daughter?! Did you…?!” She shouts at his face when he nears the cage. “You talk about the value of family, of how you’re protecting it… what about now? How do you feel knowing your so lovable, so worthy brother killed the member of your family?! A child?!” His eyes are sad and dead. It seems he didn’t know either. “A child…” She closes her eyes when another tear runs down her cheek and meets a plash on the ground. She hears him walking away with a new posture-lowered head, not daring to look at anyone and anywhere. Even Pratt looks confused.

 

Two days pass and she doesn’t see Jacob anywhere. Either he’s inside the building or he left when she was asleep. She notices new bodies lying in the cages beside hers. They’re meat. Nothing more, nothing less. She hears loud footsteps and for a second she believes it’s finally him. She crawls to the front and reaches for the bars, when she meets the face of the young man.

“Morning, Deputy. Already missing Jacob?” He smiles at her and she scoffs.

“Like hell I am.” _Liar_.She pulls her bent legs to her chest and rests her jaw against her lap.

“How are you feeling?” He asks and she raises her eyebrow.

“Quite how, thanks for asking.” He chuckles and reaches behind him, taking a small paper bag and tossing it through the bars.

“Eat, you’ll need your strength today.” She opens the bag and notices dried fruit, jam and crackers.  

“Thanks I guess.” She takes the crackers and steeps them into the jam eating them with pleasure.

“Jacob’s not in the mood today.” He sits on the ground in front of her and examines her features.

“Nothing new.” She simply answers and takes another cracker.

“Dunno what happened but once the Father left, he took his rifle and went hunting. Never seen him like this before.”

“Well, Joseph killed his own daughter. It surprised me as well.” The man lifts his eyebrows at her with amusement. “Yep. Same.”

“Didn’t know the Father was married.”

“He was. And then decided to kill his daughter and make everyone believe he’s right about everything. Sick bastard.” She shakes her head and finishes the last cracker, taking dried fruit next.

“Ya know, he’s not a bad man.” He clears his throat. “Some people are happy to be here after all. Seeds saved their lives, gave them purpose, gave them faith, helped them to change their ways and become something good, something worth.” She swears she hears lack of conviction in his voice.

“And you?” She extends the bag, nodding for him to take some and he does so.

“Me? I’m a different thing.”

“Tell me, trust me not gonna tell anyone.” She smiles and he chuckles.

“I lost someone very precious. My little sister. I came here for answers and I found them. Now I’m glad I’m here. It’s where I belong.”

She nods at him. “How long are you serving Joseph?” She asks from curiosity.

“Nearly four months by now. Haven’t acquired most sins yet. I’m quite a new one among the flock. But I showed my complete loyalty towards Seed family.”

“Have you served?” She asks another question and gives him more fruit.

“7th logistics battalion of the US Marine Corps.”

“Sounds boring.” She smirks and hands him the empty bag.

“Indeed. ‘Sides, didn’t have much time to introduce myself. Emree Ajax. Jacob’s right-hand and trainer of the hand-to-hand combat.”

They spend some more time talking together when a red pickup pulls through the gates and Ajax quickly regains his posture, motioning for her to be quiet.

“Ajax!” She swears she hears Jacob’s voice and the young man quickly heads towards the Soldier. She doesn’t know what they’re talking about, instead she notices corpses of wild animals being dragged. _Definitely, pissed._ He doesn’t waste another second and heads towards the water pump and taking off his shirt. She spots dozens of scars littering his back and when he turns around she notices his barreled chest. Even with scars he looks attractive and she closes her eyes. Minutes pass and he finally stops cleaning himself and putting on the same shirt. He then meets up with Ajax, exchanges words with him and moves towards the cages, examining each of his captives. He then motions for his people to unlock the cages and pull the people out to the front yard. When all of them gather around him, he clears his throat and starts one of his deadly-dull monologues.

“Indoctrination always shapes the life, decisions and neurological processes. Here we train for the killing to be instinctual. No resistance. Now… there are two filters that the mind has to go through when killing. Firstly, your conscious rational mind. The second one, is mid-brain. Once you get on the battlefield, you have to stop thinking with the mind of a human being. You turn off the first filter and start thinking with the second one. You start thinking with the part of the brain indistinguishable from the mind of an animal. And the only way to make a frightened weak person to go through this second filter and react in a certain way is to drill it into him - to make it a conditioned response. The brain is a fascinating thing, soldiers. Once you start poking around in there,” he claps his hands together and smile at his captives. “it’s surprising what you can do under right circumstances. You’re familiar with the term ‘classical conditioning’?” He doesn’t let anyone to answer before he carries on. “It’s when a conditioned stimulus… say a song… leads to reflexive response. In this case, to train… to kill… to sacrifice… You’re weak. All of you, no matter how much you try to prove yourselves. That's what we're gonna correct.”

And she starts laughing. It quickly draws attention of everyone and Jacob narrows his eyes, staring at her with cold gaze.

“Indeed. Especially when you take outposts with bare hands. You’re so right, I’m so weak.” She chuckles and smiles, when he starts walking towards her with hands behind his back. “I mean. Really? I wonder when you’re gonna hit the records of the duration.” He motions for someone behind her and the hunter kicks her in the broken rib what makes her succumb to the ground.

“There’ll always be those pretending to be soldiers. Those who think so highly of themselves. But they are nothing. Weak. Children.” He crouches down to her level and roughly grabs her jaw, tilting her head upwards. “But just as they reach the end of their training, they overcome the resistance of killing and begin to associate violence with pleasure. Pleasure to serve the Project, pleasure to judge the sinners, trying to jeopardize it. Tell me something, Deputy. You’d rather join us and be saved or be in place of those we’re culling?” He raises his eyebrow and she spits saliva at his face.

“I’d choose the third one. Go fuck yourself.” He shakes his head and stands up. He grabs her by her hair and lifts her up to his level. Her whole head aches from the tense and she quickly wraps her hand around his wrist.

He then releases her and moves to his former position. “Today, the trials start.” He motions for his people to close the main gates and get inside while Jacob gets into his office and now stands in the balcony observing the view. She doesn’t know what to do. Until the first sounds of the song occur.

_~Only you...!~_

She is familiar with it. Dutch has already said something about that music constantly playing in the Mountains and having some sort of effects on Jacob's captives. She quickly notices people succumbing to the ground and pulling their hands over their ears, some of them already wriggling on the ground. Their eyes become red and she looks with horror how some of them pull from the ground and charge at the weapon cases, taking ammo and rifles and aiming… _at her_?  

“I’d better take cover if I were you.” Jacob doesn’t look at her when he says that and just rolls his knife in his hands. She notices when three men turn around and start shooting at her, while she jumps behind one of the empty barrels..

“Fuck!” She shouts aloud and her head runs back and forth, trying to find any tool she could use against the conditioned fellows. She doesn’t want to kill them, she doesn’t. But they are already gone. She notices one of the hunters throwing a rifle to her side and she quickly takes it, sending bullets into her people’s chests.

“ _Good. Cull the herd.”_ She hears Jacob’s praises and it snaps something inside her. She wants to be praised. She wants to make him be proud of her. Another bullet pierces a woman through her head and she falls backwards onto the ground.

 _“Excellent.”_ She doesn’t acknowledge when the surroundings fade away from her vision and the only thing she sees is red and flames.

She doesn’t know how much times passes. Her head already spinning around, her eyes watering, the song already piercing her minds and she just can’t stop. When only seven of hostages are left, the songs shuts.

 _“Perfect.”_ And all she sees is darkness.

 

“You did well for your first time,” she hears a voice ringing in her ears and she slowly opens her eyes, adjusting to the brightness. She’s not in the cage anymore, she, as she notices, is in medical room and there’s Ajax standing with med kit in his hands.

“Where am I?”

“Vet Centre.” She scoffs. “Jacob was pleased with your acting. You killed ten of your own.” _Ten?_ So, it wasn’t a dream. Her eyes start filling with tears and she quickly wipes them out. “It’s normal to succumb to your human feelings. You killed your own and it takes time before you got used.”

“I don’t want to do this.” She tries her best not to talk as a weak but she fails. “You gotta help me get out, please, Emree.” She starts shaking.

“It’s the first trial and you passed it. Most of the captives didn’t even success with that one. Jacob can’t wait to see you in action again.”

“No…” She whispers. “I cannot.”

He doesn’t say a word and starts cleaning the wounds caused by her conditioned fellows. “I doubt you have a choice here, Deputy.”

She feels her face going white and eyes filling again. “I can’t stay. Emree, please.”

“When you get yourself into something, there’s no way back. Now, don’t move.” He spills the peroxide on her wound and she grits her teeth from sudden pain. “You’re strong, Elena. He’s not gonna stop until he gets the best out of you.”

She closes her eyes and when she opens them, the first thing she notices is the opened cabinet with some liquids. _Xanax._ “There are three trials overall. If you pass them and if you make your sacrifice, he’ll let you go. You left seven Militia people, the best ones, after the second trial there’ll be only one of you. The third trial Jacob’s gonna let you flee from the centre freely, killing every person on spot. You’re not gonna notice when you’ll start killing everyone around.”

“And what will happen when only one is left? Is he going to stop?” She asks.

“He’s gonna capture other ones. There’s always enough of Militia soldiers. And he’s gonna start all this again until the last one joins his Chosen.”

She folds her arms over her chest while he bandages her leg. “He’s insane…”

“Being a member of Project is not bad.” He assures her, though, she can hear some doubt in his voice. “I’ve already told ya that.”

“Sure.” She looks to the doors that are slightly parted and notices someone’s silhouette behind them. “Where’s Staci?” She asks after a while and Ajax raises his eyes.

“Behind the doors, he knows his place.”

“Even he is dehumanized here, huh? Never seen him so obedient. He always fought.”

“Jacob doesn’t trust him nor does he trust you, Elena. He will go through his own tests to prove his loyalty to the Father. If he doesn’t, he’ll be put as an example for all traitors.”

“Like hell he will. I’m gonna put a bullet into Jacob’s skull before he touched him.”

“Good luck with this.” They get into the silence and she knows she crossed the line. If she wanted to get his trust she needed to be more careful with her words.

 

The next morning comes quicker than she thought and she groans when the stupid sound wakes her from her sweetest dreams.

“Wake up, soldier!” Someone starts hammering at the doors and with hesitation she dresses up and gets outside, meeting one of the guards beside her doors.

After those days of being in a cage, she’s already learnt her lesson. She had to pretend Jacob started breaking her if she wanted to escape. And she had to befriend some of his Chosen.

“Morning.” She smiles at the guard and he nods towards. He doesn’t follow and she sighs with relief quickly turning around the corner and heading to the third floor. She noticed there’s another room beside Jacob’s office that must probably be his room. When she opens the doors she is surprised to see lack of furniture. The room is dark, small, there’s a queen size bed with filthy blankets and pillows, an opened wardrobe with only a few shirts and a table. There’s another doors inside and she quickly heads to them. Lucky her, it’s a small bathroom and she quickly gets into the shower. _Five minutes before they’ve noticed._ The water is cold and she starts shivering in just a few seconds but the conditions she was put in didn’t allow her to choose.

She wraps herself into a large towel and quickly spreads a lotion she found in one of the drawers put to the furthest corner on her skin. Then she quickly dresses up in her usual clothes and quietly leaves the room, heading to the dining hall. After a moment she notices Ajax heading upstairs into the interior balcony and greeting her with a nod, she does the same.

Breakfast. Horrible porridge but she’s too hungry to reject any meal and immediately picks the bowl.

“Someone’s hungry.” She hears familiar voice and smiles when Staci sits in front, taking his own.

“Where have you been?” She raises an eyebrow and quickly narrows her eyes when spots some of fresh cuts on his face.

“Had some nice _chit-chat_ with the boss.”

“He tortured you?” She takes another bite while examining his wounds.

“Nah… Just tested his knife’s sharpness.”

She chuckles at his answer and quickly acquires the feeling of someone watching her over.

“Don’t tell me he’s here.” She puts the spoon into the porridge and leans her left face side against her hand.

“Yep.”

She doesn’t need more information. She already acknowledges Jacob’s presence here.

“Deputy, with me!” He barks an order and turns around. She sighs and follows him back to his office.

“What now?” She closes the doors behind her and takes a few steps.

“Who gave you permission to talk with that dog?” His face expression hard.

“What dog?” She pretends and tilts her head a bit to the right.

“Testing me again?” He takes a step towards her while she takes one back.

“No, just trying to understand you. But it’s hard, ya know. ‘Sides, if you’re gonna look at everyone with that look, you’re gonna miss everything cool and die an-...”

“Pratt.” He doesn’t let her finish and she doesn’t want, to be honest.

“Aaaa…” She lowers her gaze and rubs her foot into the wooden floor. “And what about him? Look, if you're jealous and you want to date him, I’m not gonna step in between. But I’m not sure if you’re his type…” She smirks and notices him shaking his head and biting his inner side of mouth. _She pissed him. Great_.

“Are you planning to stop talking shit and pissing me off?” He takes another step followed by other until her back hits the wall and he leans forward resting his hands in tight fist near each side of her head.

“Maybe.” She doesn’t blink and feels weirdly when he leans even more forward. She feels his soft warm breathing on her neck and jaw and her heart starts racing even faster.

Their looks lock on each other and she swears she can see his deep gaze softening after each second. She feels him leaning forward and her heart starts racing even faster. She wants to pull away from him but doesn’t notice when she lifts her hands and brushes her fingertips over his bruised arms, causing him to make a low sound in his throat. She doesn’t know what is happening, as in this moment all she wants is to wrap her hands around him and submit to the new feelings.

_So... how's it going to be now?_

 


	7. Safe and Sound

They stay like this for what looks like eternity. Their eyes locked on like magnets and with each second, they feel the strange force pulling them towards each other. Then he is the first to break it off, as he sighs and she screws her eyes shut.

 _This can’t be happening._ She starts thinking as she feels him leaning to her body. His rough calloused hands firmly planted on each side of her head at the wall, his fists tightening. When she risks a peek, she notices him looking at her through half narrowed eyelids, his jaw tightening and his nostrils dilated.

She doesn’t feel when her own hands wrap around his wrists and she starts softly and gently brushing them over his skin, still keeping eye contact. She notices him fighting whatever is going inside his minds but doesn’t take any other actions.

After the touch, she feels him tensing, wondering whether he should let her carry on with whatever she was planning. But then… then he quickly retreats from her touch and rushes to his desk. He quickly opens the cabinet and crouches down, searching for something.

“What’s… wrong?” She attempts, though, is still slightly confused and embarrassed. She curses herself for letting her guard down around this man who doesn’t want anything except to rip her throat off. She must be mad at herself but she isn’t. She just simply stares how the Soldier takes a bottle of alcohol and a med kit.

“Did I do something wrong?” He doesn’t answer either of her questions and she bites her lower lip, slowly making her way towards the man. Only when she finally reaches the edge of the desk and looks at what he’s doing while sitting on his chair, she spots very painful red rashes, some abrasions too. They're darker and seems to be more painful. She can even register some blood stains on his forearms, the wounds not properly healed up.

"Oh God. Does it hurt?" She doesn't register when these words leave her mouth. She only hopes she could take them back before he starts mocking her. He doesn't answer, just groans when his rough fingers touch the skin. He takes a bottle of alcohol and a bandage. She notices his hands shaking and she swallows hard, rounding him, taking a better look at the view in front. "You can't do that with the state your hands are now. Let me help." Only as she tries reaching for his forearms, he roughly swats her hands away, and she quickly shuts her eyes as the pain rushes down her body. 

She won’t be that stubborn Deputy everyone used to say if she didn’t make a few more attempts, that’s when he finally turns his gaze and their eyes lock. He clenches his jaw and averts his gaze deeply inhaling and she grins knowing there’s no other way for him but only to comply. She doesn't know how much he trusts her if he _even_ trusts her at this stage, but he still extends both his arms not looking at her what makes the whole silence uncomfortable.

"I'm not gonna tell anyone if that's what you're thinking." She assures him with a kind smile and closes the distance, carefully and softly brushing the top of her fingers on his skin. She feels him tensing at the contact but he still looks everywhere but at her. After a second, he hisses from pain again and swats her hands away.

“The hell is wrong with them? What are you wearing?”

 _Oh, shit._ She swallows hard. If he found out, he’d probably lock her in that damn cage for years, knowing that she rummaged through his stuff.

“It may be from the lotion I found in the drawer.” She bites her lower lip when his posture changes. She doesn’t want to lie, it’s a sin after all and there was no way he wouldn’t find that sooner or later.

“From where?” He knows the answer and just keeps staring at her waiting for her response. He doesn’t care about the wounds anymore and she averts her gaze.

“Okay, okay, fine. I was in your bathroom. You can’t expect me to use those showers with your men.” She doesn’t look at his eyes but she knows he’s gonna punish her. He wanted to humiliate her in front of all, she knew that. What surprises her, is his response.

“Get this over with already.”

She nods and quickly gets to the nearest sink, rinsing her hands and getting back.

“Not gonna punish me?”

“For now.” She doesn’t know what it means and she doesn’t care. She’s focused on his skin now. “I put that chemical as far as I could. Looks like nothing really can stop you. John bought it, thought it's gonna help me. Though, it just made things worse. Can’t use any of that shit.”

She nods at him, taking a lump of cotton, moistening it with alcohol once again and tapping on his skin. He slightly groans but doesn’t let the pain – _weakness_ consume him.

“Some damn woman in the Project said I shoulda use herbal remedies instead. Like hell I will.” He scoffs and shakes his head. “Pain is what makes people strong. And I am strong.”

She lifts her eyes and chuckles, when he narrows his eyes. Before he can open his mouth, a pain runs through his arms and he tenses even more, his teeth gritting together.

“No one said it would be easy, though, it’s weird knowing you can feel something.”

He raises his eyebrow at her but averts his gaze immediately when she glances at him. She takes the bandage and starts wrapping it around his arms as careful as she can, trying to avoid frequent touching of his skin.

“Did you get those scars in the war?” She asks with curiosity. He glances at her and chuckles.

“Most of ‘em. The recent ones came from hunting I did a few days ago.”

“Yeah? What did you hunt?” She grins.

“A fuckin’ Deputy.” He mutters and she sighs, a smile disappearing from her face. He knew her name, why couldn’t he call her by her damn name instead of that fucking title. She wasn’t the Deputy anymore.  “You’re good at this.” He adds after a while. She finds herself smiling again after his compliment.

“Used to have some practice. My mother was a nurse in a kindergarten back then in Great Falls. What she knew taught me.” He nods again focusing on an empty space in the air between them. They die in silence and she thinks better than to keep staring at the man.

"Y'know, I've been in Iraq during the first Gulf War..." He starts and she already feels herself drifting into his voice. For some reason, she always found his voice tempting. She once again sends a glance at him. She notices his eyes not still and he doesn’t look at her. "Eighty-second airborne. All-Americans."

Eighty-second airborne. She is already familiar with this. She remembers Dutch bunker and all those medals on the wall.

“One night… there was a… an ambush. Me and that guy named Miller got separated from the unit. Nearest base - two hundred clicks to the south, so we just started walking. No food. No radio.” She finally finishes his first hand and carries on with the second, always maintaining eye contact with him. Even in deep thoughts the Soldier was always alert and she thought better than to do anything stupid. “On the third day, I knew we were lost. We started just wandering around, the desert temperature didn’t help at all. Hot days, cold nights, we ran out of water soon. But Miller didn’t give up. He had faith that we were gonna cope with that and find our ways back home.” She notices when he reaches for his dog tags and holds in his left arm. He doesn't look at her anymore, just keeps gazing at the dog tags. “That idiot was a fucking utopist. Never saw the world like all normal people did. Lived in his own fucking small and peaceful world, maybe that’s why we’ve always been stuck in debates. Gotta be honest, he was the one who always brightened those days. Even if he was a pain in the ass.”

She chuckles at how he describes his friend and is nearly shocked when she sees a spark in his face. “Even when we ran out of water he still had the energy to lighten things. Even when we both started seeing things, he still saw a light somewhere. And when I thought that he’d never shut his goddamn mouth, something’s changed. We didn’t find that base anywhere and just kept walking. After the eighth day, I looked at Miller and I knew we were as good as dead. He wasn’t the same person anymore.” He carries on after a few minutes. “His legs became wonky and he became so fit. I saw it in his eyes, the loss of faith. There was no Miller left, just a survivor who knew his death coming soon and I looked at his eyes. In that moment, I knew I had to make a choice. And I accepted that. And in that acceptance... Came clarity." His eyes wander around and she swallows hard, not knowing where this conversation was going. "It takes only ten days for a man to revert to its primordial instincts. And then you start thinking out of human brain limits. You see, after that, I wasn't just looking at Miller. I was looking... at the opportunity." She narrows her eyes and looks at him with shock. _Did he.._.?

"You... killed him?" She finds difficult to express her shockness, as he doesn't answer and just simply stares. But his face tells her a different story. He didn't just only kill him. _What happened to Miller?_ “Where is he? You didn’t leave your friend there, did you? After all you informed his family and they buried him as a hero, right?”

He looks at her with unreadable expression as if he was waiting for her to get the answer herself. And she understands. There’s no body to burry in the first place. He didn’t leave him alive nor he left his body. _Then where…_? Her eyes widen as the realization strikes her. She slowly and calculated retreats from him until her legs hit the bed frame. He looks at her with unreadable expression and for a second, she starts thinking about the food he provided to his hostages.

"Oh, my God." She feels sick at the same moment and carefully sits on the edge of his bed, digesting the information. "You... you ate him?" She tries to find the best words for this moment. She finds herself breathing hard, trying to grasp the meaning behind all this conversation. “No… Tell me you didn’t..." She inhales deeply and buries her face into her palms. After a second, she looks at him again and clears her throat. "That meat... You..." She swallows hard and feels her head spinning around.

She hasn’t got this _chance_ to taste what it felt like eating raw meat. But she saw those hungry faces of the other hostages that were grateful for any bite.

"It wasn't something I wanted." So, he admits that. He carries on and finishes bandaging his arm. "It was something that I had to do. It was... it was my test."

She shakes her head and feels tears running down her cheeks. _Joseph killed his daughter. Jacob ate Miller. They all said that were their tests._ She starts wondering what John did. One sweet moment and it turns to the nightmare. She was right. They were fucking insane. They were out of their mind.

When he finally finishes bandaging his arm, he makes slow steps towards her, grabs a nearby chair spinning it so he could straddle it and leans his right hand over its back. She doesn’t make an eye contact, though. 

“Sometimes you have to sacrifice others in order to survive. The weak have their purpose. The life is selfish. It’s all about survival. You know that better than anyone. We all have tests." She wipes the tears from her face and looks at him with a blank face. Of course, he’s right. And she hates him for this. She was tested years ago, especially that night. The night she spent years to forget. But no matter how much she tried, she didn’t succeed. It still left a mark in her heart.

“Killing your best friend is not an option.” She says after a while. “It just makes you a _monster._ ” She whispers and for a second, she believes she stabbed him because he lowers his gaze.

“So I’ve been told.” He looks at the floor and doesn’t flinch when she pushes him away enough to increase the distance and runs out of his office. She’s surprised he doesn’t follow her. She once again finds herself in the dark room. She closes the doors and leans at them, crouching down onto the ground and crying. She doesn’t know why, though. He’s supposed to be her enemy. Why is she crying for this man?

If she was honest with herself, she should have never believed he was going to be any different. He was the enemy. Probably, the biggest danger in whole Hope County for being an experienced ex-soldier but she still had hope somewhere deep inside was just a scared little boy who lacked attention and love. She tried so hard to find anything good in him but like always he managed to destroy everything.

 

She spends all day training with his soldiers, carefully listening to each word coming from Ajax as he teaches them basic skills and she learns something new, something that she ~~could~~ will, definitely, use during fights with Eden’s Gate. Ajax is probably the only one that maintains a healthy conversation with the young woman and she’s glad she had a chance to meet someone like him. Someone who doesn’t preach endlessly about the Collapse, someone who doesn’t hurt her but instead asks about her well-being and she already finds herself in a labyrinth of feelings. But even now she can’t forget Jacob’s story.

After running the mile non-stop she finally finds herself worn-out and leans against the tree breathing hard.

“You’ve done well.” Ajax comes into view and stands in front of the soldiers. “Hand-to-hand combat’s tomorrow. Be ready.” He announces and moves towards the Deputy.

“Can I pass it?” She raises an eyebrow. “I’m quite good at that.” He chuckles and crouches down to examine a few scratches just below her joints she got while running through the bushes.

“You’re thinking highly of yourself, Deputy?” He lifts his head and grins at her. “You know how people like you end here?”

She shakes her head.

“They train with Jacob. You’re lucky if you get out of there alive.”

“Maybe he’s not gonna hurt a woman bad.” She shrugs her shoulders and he sighs.

“In a fight there’s no women or men. There’s a fight. And Jacob never backs away from a fight. If you give up, you’re weak.”

“That’s called idiotism.”

He chuckles and quickly stands up when he hears close gunshots.

“Everyone, move back to the Center!” He yells at the recruits and grabs the Deputy’s wrist. “Don’t think I’m gonna let you escape.”

 

The life inside Vet Centre wasn’t that bad when you were considered one of them. While the left seven Militia soldiers were going through different kind of trials not involving that damn music in order to prove themselves to Jacob, he ordered Ajax to take the Deputy everywhere with him and she wondered if he truly wanted for her to succeed.

The rest of the day she finds herself dying from boredom. After the loud gunshots rang not far away from the Vet Center, Jacob made sure to increase the protection by calling reinforcements. If her friends weren’t dumb, they could really use this as an opportunity to do something valuable.

So, she gets plenty of time to rethink what happened in the morning. She starts thinking about the possible reasons that led him to kill his best friend. And the more she thinks, the more she starts to understand that this was the only way for one of them to survive. This is the only thought that calms her down that night.

The next morning is nothing different. She doesn’t go to Jacob’s room, just uses her small sink to clean the filth. Too scared to meet him there once he found out about that. She eats the same tasteless porridge and meets up with Ajax and his team outside, while Jacob goes hunting.

“Deputy!” Someone’s voice returns her back from her thoughts and she notices all of her ‘comrades’ already gone. “Why have you stopped?!” Ajax comes in front of her and motions for her to move forward.

“I don’t feel right.” She answers and he shakes his head. “Give me a sec.”

“Don’t care! Now, move!” She knows he can’t be kind around anyone and she knows better than to disobey.

When they finally finish the distance running, she comes back more worn out and sweating than any others what makes the hunters laugh. She knows she’s not that energetic and enduring like them but she stills fights better. Well, at least she thought so, until one of the Chosen sends her to the ground and they all start pointing at her.

“Oh, c’mon…” She groans and doesn’t lift herself up and just stays there on the ground, breathing heavily with her face looking down. She notices a sudden shadow and raises her head watching as Jacob crouches down. She sighs and sends her head down again. “Just go away… Go...” She pleads him and sighs when his hand roughly grabs her by the ponytail.

She hears him chuckling. “Fatigue, huh? And here I thought where you got all that strength to run miles around the regions from our men and me.”

“It was _survival_ , not some fuckin’ training…” She wishes she could take it back when she hears him laughing.

“Survival, huh? And here I thought you didn’t believe in any of this.”

“Just shut up…” He shakes his head and motions for his people to lift her up. “Let me go, assholes.” She snaps at them but they’re too strong at that moment. When their grips on her arms tighten and she feels her body aching, she notices Jacob slowly making his way towards her constantly making a clicking sound with his tongue pressing against the roof of his mouth.

“A good soldier is always prepared for what is to come. The strong soldier never allows himself to show any sign of weakness. And here you are… _weak_. Pathetic.” He grabs her neck and squeezes it tightly making her head spin and her eyes blur. “Don’t worry I’m gonna make you strong.” He nods towards his hunters who release their grips and she falls forward onto the ground. “Now, you have two options. Either you do as I say, or peaches gets punished. Either way is okay with me.” He grins while crouching down to her level again. He firmly lifts her head and she starts coughing, while trying to stop his hand from hurting her.

“Fine.” She whimpers and he releases her.

“100 push-ups, sweetheart.” He smirks at her and she narrows her eyes.

“In army they give women only 50.” She scolds at him.

“Exactly. But in the army women are not allowed to talk back. You like to run that mouth of yours?” He looks at her with excitement. “I’ll let you… I’m gonna give you a chance to say _anything_ you want while you do as I say. Now, c’mon!”

She is confused. She slowly stands up there looking at him when his hunter sends her to the ground again.

“Down, soldier!” He yells at her as she stumbles on the ground. “Gonna count loud. If you miss anything, you’re gonna start over again. Tick tock, kitten!” He folds his arms over and she looks at the surroundings. All of his men are looking at her mockingly and she sighs. “Need motivation, huh?” He retreats for a second before pulling Staci in front. He then slams at his legs sending Pratt to the ground and Jacob unholsters his knife and puts it under his jaw. She widens her eyes as she notices Pratt’s face. He’s scared. “You don’t have to do that at all, but I’m not sure if he’s gonna survive a hundred of hits. My men there are very fascinating to make him suffer.” Jacob gestures towards two of his Chosen who loudly smash the whips against the metal and she gulps. She exhales loudly before nodding.

When she finally makes the forty second one, she knows she failed. She notices fear in Staci’s eyes but she can’t help, her arms aren’t listening anymore and she once again finds her face straight in the dirt.

“That’s all you can do? Leader of the Resistance?” Jacob mocks her and she painfully lifts her head and looks into his eyes with a grin on her face.

“Unless you’re gonna help me, shut up.” He shakes his head a few times and then sends his foot into her ribs, making her fold like a foetus. “Asshole.”

He leaves her there, lying in the dirt until the first droplets of rain drop onto her body and Ajax approaches her, kneeling in front and helping for her to stand.

“Enough for your punishment, Deputy. Get up.”

“One day I’m gonna kill that son of the bitch. My face’s gonna be the last he sees.” She mutters when he helps her sit on the edge of the old stone fountain while examining her wounds.

“How’s the pain?”

“Asshole kicked me to the other side. Doesn’t hurt that much.” She puts her hands over her stomach and looks at the young man who holds a smile in his face.

He takes a soaked material and starts cleaning her face. She finds his behaviour alluring and she leans into the touch. If any other man she’d have found it romantic. But there was no time to dream about things that were not supposed to happen. She was the threat to the Project and no matter how hard she tried to hide, they’d still always find her. She wasn’t supposed to enjoy those romantic moments, dancing with a lover in the woods while one of her friends sang or played the guitar. Even those who had, are most likely to be dead by now. No one knew their fate. Everyone lived in fear to wake up the next morning and see their beloved ones dead.

And she doesn’t realize when she starts thinking back of Jacob. Of the man who kidnapped her, tortured her, made her kill her own people. But at the same time, he was so hurt, so broken inside. She could clearly see that in his eyes. She starts wondering if he had ever been in love, if anyone has ever loved him in return. He wasn’t a man to look for, for most of the women there, he wasn’t attractive. He didn’t look like man made for romance either. He was rough, merciless, a killer. She involuntarily raises her eyes upwards and doesn’t expect as Jacob’s behaviour suddenly changes, as he stands in his balcony, observing the two of his soldiers. He knew something was happening between his right-hand and the most promising soldier. He grips the rail tighter and watches as the Deputy laughs at whatever Ajax was saying. She does that on purpose, from time to time sending a glance to the Soldier’s direction. If he had his own pleasure torturing her, she would turn all of his soldiers from him, starting with his right-hand.

When he finishes cleaning her face and nearly pulls his hands away, she reaches for them and wraps her hands around his. Again, on purpose.

“You’re different, Deputy.” He lowers his gaze. “Not as any other women. The Father was right. You’re really special. The only that stands against Jacob must be fool one, but you… you’re brave at what you’re doing. That’s honourable.” He smiles and softly brushes his thumbs over her hands, making her smile even wider.

“Not everyone does believe in this. But thank you… For everything, Emree. You’re everything I can lean into right now.”

“I’ll always be here, Deputy.”

“Just call me Elena, Emree.”

“If you insist.” They spend like this a few more minutes before they both hear a loud rough voice of Jacob, commanding his right-hand to get into his office and so, Ajax leaves her sitting on the log. Her smile widens as Jacob narrows his eyes and turns his back to her disappearing in his room.

 

_She runs and runs and runs… Her feet already aching from the constant charging through the endless woods. She can’t see anything except a few glowing figures chasing her. When she finally manages to escape them, everything around turns red. The bloody moon shining on top of the whole world burning down. She notices the trees suddenly igniting, the stream once being light blue now covered with blood. There’s something out there that makes her feel uncomfortable. She can swear someone is stalking on her but she can’t see anything around. There are sudden dark shadows moving quickly somewhere in the woods and she quickly turns around. She can only make a few step forward as she reaches an edge of a very high cliff and suddenly hears a low intimidating voice. She slightly turns to look over her shoulder and notices a huge dark figure standing oppositely from her. She can’t clearly see its face but she’s sure his back is turned to her as she notices a rifle in his hands with a red laser pointed somewhere forward. She takes a few steps backwards even knowing she’s gonna fall only to put a foot on the branches. The make that causes a sound and makes the figure turn around. And as he turns… she can see the burning eyes. The red as devil’s eyes darted at her and a wide smile with all those white sharpened teeth..._

She quickly snaps her eyes open when the loud noise wakes her up and she finds herself on the cold wooden floor. She must have fallen from the bed after the nightmare she had, whole soaked in cold sweat.

The doors suddenly open and she hears a displeasing and tumultuous roaring.

"Get up, soldier!" She raises her head just a bit to see the man quickly disappearing around the corner and a long line of soldiers following him from behind towards the open-ish showers.

She dresses up in her usual clothes and makes her way to the dining hall making an eye contact with Emree and smiling at him. She doesn’t look at Jacob, though. He has already pissed her in all possible ways and the only thing that kept her from breaking the Soldier in half was the thought of having to bear the two of him around.

She quickly gets to the farthest table, where she notices three of the hunters already sitting. No Staci, though, and she wonders where the former Deputy disappeared. Not that this mattered. She was just curious if Jacob really punished him for her fail yesterday. 

“Morning,” she greets the three men who look at her confused. She takes a spoon and starts eating the regular porridge, still thinking about her new life here. Just when the bowl is half empty, she feels someone's presence behind her and she loudly sighs, covering her face with her hand and shaking her head.

“Deputy,” she can recognize that voice anywhere. “With me.”

She growls and stands from the table, turning around and giving him a mocking smile.

“Joseph called.” He clears his throat while moving behind her always keeping an eye of her movement.

“Lemme guess, told you to keep me alive no matter what I do or _try_ to do.” She chuckles but doesn’t turn to him. When he doesn’t answer she stops and turns to look at his face with a mocking expression. “Oh my… He even told you to take better care of me. How nice of him.” She folds her arms over her chest and tilts her head just a bit to the right. She notices him moving towards her and stops a few inches from her.

“You’re playing a dangerous game here, Deputy. Better not cross the boundaries.”

“Or what?” She challenges him and he shakes his head. Clearly, the conversation between him and his brother wasn’t very pleasant. 

He doesn’t answer again, grabs her by her wrist and drags her out. He leads her back to the yard, where she notices the same seven Militia soldiers already in the center of the pen.

“Get inside!” Jacob pushes her forward and she nearly drops to her knees cursing the big bad wolf. “You did well the previous time. Let’s see what you’re capable of to survive this time. Don’t let me down.”

She abruptly stops in her tracks, defying his commands.

“I’m not gonna do another trial, Jacob!” She firmly shouts at him and he turns around. He doesn’t say a word, just watches at her face with cold gaze, constantly putting one foot followed by another until he’s an inch apart from her, towering her and staring at her as a prey.

“Who said you had a choice here?” He doesn’t raise his voice. He’s neither amused nor angry. Calm. Always _fucking_ calm and it makes her afraid out of sudden.

“I said.” But before she can do any other movement, he strongly slams her back at the bars of the cage and firmly grabs her jaw, forcing her to look at him. Her eyes already start watering and she looks at him with scared eyes. His grip on her shoulder tighten and she feels huge pain in her chest but he doesn’t loosen his grip.

“You have no control here, _woman._ ” It’s the first time he addresses her like this. And now she swears she feels his anger and his boiling eyes piercing her body through. “I don’t care what Joseph says. If you insist, I can starve and dehydrate you for the whole week until you’re nothing but a pathetic weakling who will pull her pants down just for a sip of water. Did. You. Understand. ME?!” He grabs her by the back of her neck now, pushing her to the ground just next to his cargo boots, one foot firmly planted on her back. “Speak when spoken to, soldier.” He roughly barks at her and increases the force on her back when she doesn’t answer.

“Yes, s-sir.” She cries out from pain and he releases her as quickly as he pushed her backwards. She lifts her head just a bit only to be met by his figure quickly retreating back inside the building. His soldiers quickly make a step back when their boss moves pass them. Someone forcefully grabs her by her arms and pulls her upwards, showing her to the pen and closing the doors behind her.

She turns her head around and watches as Jacob appears in his balcony and nods towards his man, whose fingers are now on the button of the player, while Jacob doesn't look at her and just rolls the familiar red knife in his hands.

“The trial starts now.” The hunter says and pushes the button.

And all she sees is red.

 

She slowly opens her eyes and notices being in the same cage once again. She can't remember anything that happened during the trial, as if the music completely turned her off. But she knows she had _succeeded_. She killed those innocent seven men and it makes her feel sick already. Worst of all, Jacob could now use the music at any time and she wouldn't be able to do a thing. He had a complete control over her. She should have known where she was getting herself into. She should have listened to Aaron and not go here. But then... she wouldn't have met these amazing people. She made a mistake that morning pissing Jacob even more. She had to know there were no rights for anyone here, even for women. She groans when she feels pain overwhelming her, while she tries to sit on the cold floor.

It’s night as she notices. The whole day passed after the trial and her eyes are still blurred, her head still aching.

“Well done.” She hears a familiar low voice ringing in her ears and closes her eyes. _This must be hallucination._ But her thoughts are quickly tossed away when she feels someone’s presence. She opens her eyes when someone’s boot hits the bars and meets Jacob, who’s already crouched down to her level and observing her. “You learn quickly.” He grins at her and she already feels as she was going to throw up. One moment he’s angry and the other he’s already smiling.

“How many did I kill now?” She doesn’t look at him anymore, fearing for the worst. She knew about those seven. But what if..?

“Seven. As required. And some extra residents out from Vet Center. My men lost tracks of you when you started charging forward. Luckily, some of my Judges were useful enough to find ya. And all I had to do was come and get ya.”

She opens her mouth and starts sobbing. “And this sounds natural for you?” She raises her eyebrow. “Why are you so happy? That you made me a killer?!” She wants to strangle the Soldier but the bars separate them.

“Oh please. Like you haven’t done this before. Remind me. How many of my people did you kill back then?” He cocks his eyebrow and waits for her answer.

“They were my enemies, you bastard.” She averts her gaze and looks past him. She hears him sighing as he nods to someone behind him and she watches as Pratt brings a bowl passing it through the bars. Meat. The same meat she saw the hostages eating.

“Eat. You’ll need your energy.”

“I’m not going to do the next trial, Jacob.” She sputters and takes the bowl with meat sending it into the bars straight into Jacob who takes a step to the side just in time for the meat to collide with Pratt’s face and that makes him smirk.

“Nice try.”

“Fuck you.” She barks at him and turns her back to him.

“You’re in no position to negotiate here. Remember what happened before when you’re gonna put a show back there. You don't want to eat this meat?” He points his index finger at the meat now on Pratt's face. "You don't get any at all. I'll see ya soon, Deputy."

He leaves her there for another couple of days. No food. No water, just as he threatened. From time to time she meets Ajax eyes who watches at her pitiful but that was that first night when she had to sleep in that goddamn cage for her disobedience. She hasn’t seen Ajax or Pratt either since then and she started getting unnerved.

The next day she finally sees the same young soldier, who gets her out of the cage and helps her make her way to the small bathroom in Jacob’s room.

“You must be honoured to use his bathroom. He doesn’t allow this to anyone.”

“Like you said, I’m special.” She grins at him and playfully nudges him at his back. “Ouch." She hisses when another pain runs through her body. "Will you help me with this?” She asks and nods to her jacket. Her body is already sore from constant fights and trainings and the least she wants is to get worse.

“Of course.” He gently helps her get out of the jacket and pulls her shirt over her head, already getting blushed from the sight in front.

“No need to get shy now.” She jokes. “Not like you haven’t seen anything like this before.” She makes her way towards the shower while Ajax turns around.

“Indeed.” He mutters and heavily sighs. When he hears the tap being turned off, he waits a few more minutes before she gently taps at his shoulder for him to turn around.

Only then he notices the wounds on her palms being opened. He couldn’t see this under the filth she was wearing before and gently takes her hands in his own, leading her towards the bed and making her sit.

“I’ll take the med kit. Just wait.” He quickly gets to the nearest drawer and takes the yellow bag, heading back towards the Deputy.

"Has anyone ever told you how sweet you a-?" The Deputy raises her eyes with a smile tugged in her face when her eyes suddenly widen and she shuts her mouth. Ajax is stopped in his tracks, as he stares at the doors now fully opened.

“I wondered where you’ve been. Does it really take that long to get her cleaned?” Jacob’s voice is low and dark.

“Sorry, sir. She’s hurt. Just want to clean the wounds.”

She watches as Jacob makes his way towards his right-hand and quickly snatches the med kit from his hands nodding towards the doors.

“I’ll take care of it. Go. Recruits are waiting.”

The Deputy shrugs and smiles at Ajax, saying her goodbyes and watches as Jacob kneels down in front of her and roughly grabs her hands.

“They’re opened again.” He says and looks at her.

“What did you expect? I don’t think they’ll heal that quickly when you send me to those trials over and over again. It’s good you didn’t break my ribs more when you slammed me back then with such force.” She shakes her head and averts her gaze. What she doesn’t expect is a sudden softness and gentleness resulting from his fingertips. Her eyebrows nearly jump from her face from this contact and she watches as the Soldier carefully washes the bloodstains from her palms and starts bandaging her palms.

 _Why was this outburst so sudden? Was he jealous of Ajax?_ She finds herself thinking. _Why in hell would Jacob Seed be jealous? Not of me, right?_

Her skin starts involuntary twitch when he brushes his fingertips over her palm. She wants so badly to believe he really cared.

Once he finishes, he throws the med kit into the nearest drawer and glances at her. She is still wrapped in a towel, observing his features in return. She waits. He sighs and heads to the wardrobe taking a green cargo shirt out and tossing it to her. He also pulls his own shirt over his head and stands half naked in front of her with his muscular back to her. He takes another grey shirt from his wardrobe and dresses up in it and turns around.

“You’re not dressed yet?” He raises his eyebrow.

“No shit.” She says and stands up, holding the towel around herself. “Do you want me to put a show here or what?”

He doesn’t need to be told twice and he gets outside the room, leaving her in the room. She brushes her long dark hair and ties it into a ponytail. When she dresses up, she opens the doors spotting him leaning against the wall with his folded arms.

“Where are we going?”

“Nothing your pretty little head should care about.” He says and motions for her to go in front. “Have I ever told you to cut your hair?”

“No, you haven’t.” She simply answers.

“Now I did.”

“Mhm.” She turns to the left and gets downstairs, heading through the main doors. She notices new hostages being locked in the cages, a table and a chair put in front of the doors and Pratt standing there in the corner, not raising his eyes. Jacob moves past her and takes a place in the seat as he watches the hostages.

“Kitten!” She hears his voice and she hurries to his direction. She spots him scratching his beard while staring at the hostages in front, kneeled down on the cold filthy ground behind the bars.

“Yes…?” She asks mockingly and stops in her tracks when the Soldier turns slightly and sends her a warning glare. “ _Sir_?”

“C’mon here.” He nods towards himself and she slowly makes step by step forward, watching as Pratt moves past her and hands her Jacob’s red knife and pushes her forward. “You know what I like more than obedience?” Jacob tilts his head upwards not keeping an eye contact with the Militia soldiers. “Loyalty. Yep.”

The Deputy stares at Jacob’s head while moving in front of him when she hears a clicking sound and turns to Pratt who quickly shakes his head and nods for her to move behind him. She has never shaved a man in her life to start with. How was she able to do that without cutting him? Especially with such huge knife. On the other hand, it was the most perfect possibility to slice his throat. But again... she wouldn't be surprised if he was already ready for such action. And she didn't want to be dragged into that cage again.

“It takes time. It takes means. But the result is always… _fascinating_.” He smirks and waits.

 _He can’t be… Fucking unbelievable._ She scoffs when Pratt gestures for her to start with his neck. She doesn’t move, keeps staring as Jacob’s eyes snap open and he narrows his eyebrows. She swallows hard.

“But sometimes even the loyal ones decide to rebel their masters and then they get punished until they find their place.”

She closes her eyes for a second and sighs. _Fuck this._ She lifts her hand with the knife and puts it under his jaw, while the other gently holds his head in place. It would be the perfect time to slice his throat into half but she knows the risks. She feels him relaxed but as she tries to tilt his head a bit more, his muscles tense, showing her she doesn’t have any power here. So, she bends her knees while trying to find the best angle to not hurt him. She can only imagine what he was going to do to her if saw any cuts. _She’s shaving Jacob unbelievafucking Seed._ Sheriff would be truly proud of her. For a second, she glances at the surroundings searching for any cameras. Who knew what this bastard was up to. When she stares back at his beard, she wonders how _nicely_ he’d look if she shaved all of his facial hair except for a thick short line under his nose. Or what if she made ornaments on his jaw. Well then, the view would be fascinating. Especially seeing him once again broadcasting his usual idiotic monologues about her being weak and other stuff. 

“You’re done here, pup?” His voice snaps her from her thoughts and she finds herself staring at his beard for too long.

“Y-yes, sir.” She puts the blade on the table next to him. He doesn’t move, just turns his head to her and stares at the small bowl of water. She quickly glances at Pratt who motions for her to use it to clean his face.

“Fuck.” She quietly curses.

“Said something, pup?”

She shakes her head and he sits straight waiting for her decision. Lucky her, she doesn’t notice as he makes a grin when her wet fingers start brushing over his facial hair. She can swear she hears a low noise coming from his mouth as if this action was pleasurable to him. She takes a few more times to clean any remaining hair from his neck, feeling him tensing. His skin rough and rugged but his beard so soft and she lingers more than she needs to.

“If you’re so attached to my beard, pup, you can keep those,” he points at his hair floating on the surface. “With yourself.” He mocks her again and she roughly shakes her head in the air sending droplets on his face. He sighs and shakes his head, glancing at the hostages.

“Oh yeah, she’s, definitely, Jacob’s pet.” She hears some of his Chosen mock her behind her back and she folds her arms over her chest, her eyes burning with anger.

“You are weak.” Jacob clears his throat and points at the three men kneeled down. “But the weak have their purposes. You’ll understand that soon enough.”

“Now, are _you_ done?” She raises her eyebrow and watches as the three men chuckle at her boldness. Jacob, on the other hand, clenches his jaw and turns around his full body now in front of her as he roughly grabs her by her pony tail, tilting her head backwards and towering her just enough for their eyes to lock.

“Said something, kitten? Already miss the cage I see.”

She tries to shake her head but his grip is painful and firm as he turns to his Chosen.

“This one here needs a bit of discipline. Bring the cage into my office. I’ll keep this with me.” He doesn’t let her go, just holds his grip on her as he drags her inside the building. He stands there in the center of his office and watches as three of his hunters bring the metal cage inside. Small and tight. He motions for them to leave and makes his way in front of her, sighing heavily.

“Let’s try again. One last time. Said something there?” He folds his arms behind his back as he bends a bit towards her.

“No, si-ir.”

“Remember, that mouth of yours gonna put you in a lot of troubles. On the other hand, it can be put on use…” She glances at him and watches as his smile widen and she can only wonder what he had in mind. “I’ve already told you how rules here work. You obey, you’re rewarded. You disobey, you get punished. Choice is yours. Rules stand. Understood?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Good girl.” He praises and gives a few claps on her left cheek as he moves past her and sits behind his desk. “Your Whitetail friend is causing a hella job there. Thinks he’s smarter than me as if I don’t see where he’s goin’. Gotta tell ya, with the way he’s moving, he’ll get into my traps soon.”

She lowers her gaze on the floor. Eli is out there, searching for her, that’s for sure. She didn’t even have a chance to meet him but he’s already going through everything to liberate her from this hell. But that only meant danger for everyone. If Jacob got to him before she had a chance to tell him the truth, Whitetails would be destroyed, that meant the same for the Resistance.  

“Those two cowards think they can hack all of my tracking systems and change the recordings. I’ll give ‘em that for now.”

She raises her eyebrow not knowing what he was talking about.

“Yeah…” He sighs. “Two teenagers running in my region and thinking so highly of themselves. Kinda imagine their faces when I get ‘em. Probably would shit into their pants the second they’re tied up.” He lifts a few papers from the desk and starts scanning them. “Be a good girl, pup. Make me some coffee.”

She doesn’t need to be said twice. She leaves the office and ten minutes later she brings the tray together with a cup, a coffee pot filled with hot delicious coffee and a small sugar-basin she found in the kitchen. She puts the tray in front of him on the desk and stands there waiting for his instructions.

“I like it black.” He simply states not even lifting his eyes. She puts a tablespoon of coffee powder into the cup and fills it with hot water as he raises his hand to stop her. “Three tablespoons.” She widens her eyes and glances at the cup. Without hesitation she places another two tablespoons of powder into the cup and briefly stirs it. That’s when she notices the same profile papers he read aloud earlier and notices a few attachments. She knows there must be some more information that would mean bad for her. She doesn’t wait just puts the coffee cup next to the papers and near his elbow and waits. It doesn’t take long before he raises his head clearly waiting for her to hand him the cup and that’s when he accidently nudges it, sending all the coffee on the papers.

“Fuck.” He curses and jumps from his spot, wiping the coffee from them as much as he could, but lucky for her no words could be recognized.

“I’m sorry, I guess.” She shrugs her shoulders and he sends her an angry cold look. “Do you want another cup?” She raises her eyebrow at him and smiles.

“You fuckin-“ He doesn’t finish as one of his Chosen bursts into his office.

“Sir,” he clears his throat.

“What?” Jacob barks at him like a mad dog and sends last glance at the Deputy who now stands there with lowered head.

“Eli Palmer, sir. His people took the PIN-K0 radar station.”

Jacob sends a clenched fist into the desk so it vibrates from the shock and she flinches immediately.

“I think I told you to secure the outposts. How did he do that?”

“One of our Chosen sent a message before he was killed. There were those two boys who led all this operation and some Militia soldiers.”

“Leave!” Jacob bursts from anger. “Fuckin’ teenagers.”

She doesn’t move. One move could meant she was dead. She knew better than poking an angry bear there, who knew what he would do to her.

“Who are they, Deputy?” He raises his eyes to look at her, while leaning against the table.

“The hell I know. I haven’t had time to meet a lot of folks there properly. Better ask Eli himself.”

He sighs and motions for her to leave the office and she does that gladly.

 

She knows Eli just signed his death certificate. After all these actions he took, Jacob wasn’t going to wait any longer and she needed the plan to escape before he sent her through the last two trials. The next day she finally meets Pratt whose face looks even worse, but she doesn't have time for their conversation as she grabs him by his uniform’s sleeve and drags him to the nearest room.

“What did you find out, Pratt?”

“Still tryin’ to find the way to get you out of here, Rook. But we need to hurry up. I heard some of the Chosen saying that Eli is making fast moves, he’s desperate to find you. Any wrong move and the Resistance tumbles down.”

She nods repeatedly.

"Jacob told me about some teenagers runnin' in the Mountains? D'ya know who they are?"

He shakes his head and she sighs once hearing sudden sounds from upstairs.

“Don’t make him get suspicious. Last I need is for him to suspect us. Let’s make him think everything’s goin’ according to his plans.”

She makes half way through the corridor when loud steps stop behind her and she turns around to face the Soldier once again.

“Where have you been?” He stands there in the same posture and carefully examines her face. She sighs but knows better than to run that mouth of hers that constantly gets her into troubles.

“Searched for Ajax.” She immediately answers knowing how much he hated when she said this name.

“Is that so?” He lifts his eyebrow. “You two seem to be… _attached._ ” He wiggles his jaw, lowering his eyes to her hands and she has to put all effort not to smile at his jealousy.

“You know, John woulda say _envy_ is a sin.” She smirks and he narrows his eyes looking at her with disbelief.

“You’re kidding me?”

“No, why would I.” She shrugs her shoulders and moves past him, when he stops her by wrapping his arm around her waist and turning her around, their chests bumping into each other. She feels his heat radiating from his body and she puts one of her hands on his firm chest, feeling his heartbeat.

“You think I envy him? You think I'm jealous of you? Who do you think you are?” With each word he raises his voice and her smile widens even more.

“Actually, I didn’t mean that. I meant the time and attention a person can give to another.  But thanks to you, now I know how much you really _love_ me.” She smirks and he immediately pushes her away. She knows how much he hates the 'L' word and she can clearly see it written all over his face.

“I don’t care about you. You’re nothing to me. Just a tool.”

“Uh-huh.” She mocks him and teasingly points her finger at him, nipping at her lower lip. “Tell that to yourself, big guy.” She turns around and makes a few more steps before his hand grabs her wrist.

“What now?” She barks aloud once he nears her. He grabs handcuffs from his pocket and puts them around one of her wrist pointing at another. “Don’t you think firstly we shoulda move to your bed?”

He doesn’t answer, coldly stares at her while grabbing another wrist. Then motions for her to move outside. They reach his white pickup and he opens the passenger doors for her nodding to get in.

“Such a gentleman.” She imitates Adelaide when she gets flushed and gently sits inside what makes him roll his eyes. She’s getting on his last nerves, she knows that. But the recent feelings he showed her just makes her crave for something more to piss him off.

“So, are we heading somewhere where no one would hear me moaning? Maybe some kind of cabin you live in?”

He clenches his jaw again and she looks through the window. If she carries on, he’d send her straight to Joseph or John. Then the escape would be easier. That was quite a great plan.

“Have some work in Grand View. Gonna spend time there. Thought about taking you as well, now, though, I started regretting it.” He murmurs the last words under his nose so quietly that she misses them completely.

“Said something?” She challenges him again.

He doesn’t answer again, but she can clearly see a vein popping on his neck and temple. His guards open the gates for their Herald to leave and he turns to the right. They drive past his Armory, drive past a huge dam forward.

“Could you take off the handcuffs? They’re hurting me.” She whispers and glances at him with a pleading look on her face. He sends her a glimpse and scoffs, shaking his head.

“Pain makes people strong. I thought you’ve already learnt it.” She sighs and turns looking through the window at the changing landscape. She can’t help but admire it. She has never seen anything more brilliant than this region. _His_ region. If only it belonged to John. She would never leave it no matter how the Resistance pleaded her.

“How did you get to rule the Mountains?” She asks with a smile.

“Why?” He simply asks.

“Dunno. It’s strange to see such an _evil_ to rule something that beautiful.” He lifts his eyebrow and shakes his head a few more times before clearing his throat. His opens his mouth to speak but quickly shuts it.

“You’re such a bitch you know that?”

“Yeah. That’s me.” She smirks and puts her cuffed hands around her knee, turning slightly to him.

“You’re doing this on purpose. I’m not that dumb, Deputy.” He adds after a while. "Really think Joseph's words changed somethin'? Think better."

“I know... You’re the smartest bastard I’ve ever seen.” She says mockingly and smiles when he sends her another warning glance.

“Playin' on my last nerves here. Better watch your mouth.”

“Yeah. Wonder where I heard those words before?” She parts her lips and it’s enough for him to tighten his grip on the wheel, his knuckles whitening. She can only imagine how much he hates Joseph for not letting him finish all this. For not letting him to hurt her worse. From his behaviour, she's sure Joseph warned him about being gentler with her. “So, why Mountains, huh?” She tries again and sees him relaxing a bit.

“Closest to Joseph, just in case he got into so kind of troubles. Wolves. Best hunting spots, but you already know this. And the Vet Center. Couldn’t imagine myself working in jail near that fire idiot or anywhere near Ryes.”

“What d’ya all have against Ryes?” She scoffs. “And that Boshaw guy you’re talking about. He has the biggest heart anyone can have. He would do anything for me.”

His look quickly changes into sarcastic one.

“Oh yeah? Then where is he? ‘Cause recent reports informed me about him and his dumb cousin being drunken as fuck and hanging around near Drubman's Gate. Doesn’t look like someone willing to sacrifice himself for ya.”

She narrows her eyes and squeezes her hands thinking of what he just said. She doesn’t speak any longer, doesn’t say a word until they both reach the building that once was a hotel and he orders for her to get out. Lucky him, she shuts her mouth and he can exhale with relief.

“Peaches!” He shouts and leans against the bonnet, plowing the gravel with his boot. Sudden movement quickly draws her attention and she watches as her fellow team member and runs into them with his lowered head.  _When did they take him here?_ A few hours earlier he was still back there at the Centre but when she notices the same three guards near the building, she nods. “Lead her inside. Lock in the room.” He doesn’t say anything nor he looks at her as he moves past her towards a few of his Chosen.

“We need to get you out of here.” Pratt whispers while pulling her with him. She sends him a questionable look and opens her mouth to speak when he shakes his head. “It’s the room he takes his prime ones for conditioning. There are two Militia tied there. He knows Eli's close. Dunno about Jacob’s plans, but he's smart.”

“What?” Her heart races harder, blood flowing faster through her veins as she scans the area she’s led to. “But I just got out from the recent trial.”

“You have to leave. You shouldn’t have come for me at all. You must never come back, El.” He pulls her inside and closes the doors, leading her to a small lobby. “Look.” He points at the black board with a few names written on it. She quickly notices a few being stroke through. Her attention is quickly drawn by his name and most importantly hers being on top of the list. There’s also some photos of different locations in the Mountains as well as Eli’s photo. “He knows you’re ready. All those trials. One two three. One two three. One two three and he got you. And there’s no way back. He gets into your head and it becomes second nature. Eli pissed him off enough. Now he just needs you to find him and then… he’ll make you kill him, Rook. You can’t ever… you hear me?! You can’t ever go back!” He yells and takes off the handcuffs from her wrists as sudden noise of creaking floors draw their attention.

“Hey, what the hell are you doing here?” The Chosen raises his voice and turns to call someone for help, as Pratt quickly snatches the hunter’s arrow from the holster and firmly thrusts it through his neck.

“Fuck.” He hisses and turns to the Deputy, handing her the bow and arrow and motioning for her to leave through the back doors. “When they find the corpse, they’ll know you escaped. If they find me close, he’ll know I helped you. I don’t care for myself. I’m gonna try to hold him for as much as I can. You have to leave. There’s a boat. Take it and leave. Avoid the cameras.” He pushes her to the doors and turns her one more time before leaving. “Don’t ever come back. No matter what, you can’t go back!”

"Thank you, Staci." She says and rushes forward.

* * *

“If only she knew what we were up to.” Aaron chuckles as Max tries his best to join the wires he accidently ripped out.

“Earl said Jacob captured her. We must find out where he holds her. If not for these old gadgets we’d have had her in hours’ time.”

“How much left?”

“A few more minutes.”

It was nearly a week when Sheriff finally reached them saying about Jacob keeping their sister as a hostage. Days passed without them knowing of their sister’s status and that scared them. Now they were sitting inside Wolf’s Den, trying to get the signals of all the places Eli had his cameras. It wasn’t an easy task for them to reach the famous Eli Palmer when every peggie around in these places wanted his death. They had to make sure no one followed them, as they finally climbed the hill and had to spend minutes in front of his cameras to be allowed inside.

And only because Eli got a shine on their sister. It came no surprise, that he was ready to do everything to get her from Jacob’s grip.

“Any luck?” Wheaty rounds the corner and sits on the chair next to the leaning body of Aaron.

“Nearly finished.” Max says and starts connecting to the peggie systems. “Almost.” His smile widens even more as he finally gets inside.

“Can we see her?” Wheaty asks and leans forward.

“Only if she’s near the cameras. Can’t see the recording, though.”

He spends a few more minutes, the screen always changing.

“Our people said there’s no sight of her in the east.” Wheaty clears his throat while writing a few more songs in his list.

“Camera sixteen. No target.” Aaron rolls his eyes and moves to the table with a map on it, as Eli comes to their peripheral. “Camera twenty-one. Clear.”

“What is he doing?” The Militia leader asks leaning over the table and folding his hands in one fist.

“Playing Benji Dunn,” Aaron mutters and watches as Eli crosses a few more places.

“Militia scanned the area in the south. No signs of your sister’s presence. She’s somewhere in the north, but…”

“She’s here!” Max voice interrupts their conversation and they both dart next to him. “They're driving to Grand View direction.” He quickly changes the cameras to the old hotel and watches a black haired man with a deputy's uniform wandering around. "It must be that ass Staci Pratt. God, I hate that bastard." Eli quickly grabs the radio from the table and pushes the button.

“Grant, it’s Eli. I need some reinforcements. Jacob has been spot driving to Grand View. The Junior Deputy is with him. Do everything you need but secure the area. We’re coming.” He says into the radio.

_“Yes, sir.”_

* * *

 She quickly darts behind the crates and spots the boat on the shore. She tries to push it to the water but a few more attempts worn her out. She doesn’t have much time for this and she quickly runs along the shoreline further from Grand View. After some time, she hears the alarms going off and she curses herself for wasting so much time. It’s only a matter of when Jacob’s gonna capture her again.

She can’t let this happen, though. She runs further until she reaches the main road and notices a truck coming down the road. She waves at it and a smile pops out in her face, until it turns to the left and disappears. She leans forward taking a few deep inhales but before she can move, she hears a growling behind her. Just as she turns the big judge charges at her and jumps on her. Lucky her she managed to grab a knife from a nearby storage near the dock and lunges it through the judge. Once she makes sure it’s dead, she throws it to the side and quickly stands on her feet. She hears peggies shouting and notices a few of them getting into her peripheral, one of them quickly spotting her.

“She’s there!”

She charges through the woods to the opposite direction, never stopping. She’s sure some of the hunters have already lost the tracks of her but not Jacob. She was sure that man was on her heels. Knowing how fast he moved and how accurate he was, she was sure she wasn’t going to mislead him. She needed to get somewhere high enough for him to not reach her. The problem was, even if she was in the Mountain region, there were no mountains in her view and she curses for not taking another direction. She was grate at climbing the mountains and she knew Jacob didn’t take any grappling hooks with him.

She runs for another half an hour, taking very quick breaks until she finally reaches a path and notices something red glowing in front. After a few more minutes she finally hears something like a wounded deer and reaches the top of the hill.

“Fuckin’ wolf beacon.” She smiles and wonders how lucky she is to finally have some fun after so much time. She quietly rounds the peggies and grabs a remote explosive from a nearby truck, throwing it onto the loudspeaker and pushing the button. “Fuck.” She curses after a second. “Damn me. Why shouldn’t I take that truck before I destroyed it.” She sighs and runs further. 

 

She sees fumes coming from somewhere further and she knows it’s not the best direction for her to go. And she is clearly lost in her tracks as she finds herself in the middle of nowhere. Dutch didn’t provide her with the map of the Mountains, he was sure she’ll get it once she liberated any outpost. And that’s when she makes a bad decision. She turns to her left and starts walking further, not knowing how close she was to her captor. They were literally moving towards each other and she was dumb if she didn’t get it earlier. Because after twenty minutes or so she finds herself frozen and standing a few hundred metres away from a soldier with a grin on his face and a predator’s expression. Her eyes widening every second knowing in what shitty situation she got herself into, as she slowly makes her way backwards.

“Did you really think you were free?” He asks with the same grin in his face, reaching for his handgun as he makes wide steps towards her.

“Um, I guess.” She clears her throat.

”You really thought I assigned peaches to get you upstairs without knowing what you two were up to? You’re more dump than I thought.” He takes another couple of steps.

”You can’t blame me for tryin’.” She quickly shots glances at the surrounding, but there’s no way she can escape.

“It was a test of loyalty and he failed. He’ll get what he deserved... and you...” Just as he’s half away from her she starts rethinking her options but barely turns around when a pain crosses her and she notices an arrow in her thigh. The only thing she remembers as she stumbles to the ground, noticing a hunter standing a few inches away from her, and Jacob’s last words: “You still have work to do.”

 

Sudden brightness blinds her as she is turned around to see a screen. A male figure towers her and she feels something squeezing her wrists.

“You shouldn’t have come back.” Pratt whispers. "You should have run."

"I tried..." She whispers but it seems to be not enough aloud for him to hear as he quickly backs away. She notices a fear crossing his face when he spots something behind her. _Someone_ , she guesses.

“This world is weak… soft..." And she finds herself rolling her eyes. It was that time when she really needed a drink if Jacob was going to carry on the usual bullshit. She clenches her fists tied on both sides of the chair and watches as the ginger Soldier walks through the shadow towards the screen.  “You know our heroes used to be gods. But now our heroes are godless. Weak. Feeble. Diseased.” She doesn't acknowledge his presence in front of her because this whole time she tried to do her best to shut her ears off and try to imagine nicer things. "And when a nation that’s never known hunger or desperation descends into madness, we’ll be ready.” He smiles at her with all teeth, his eyes shining into hers, reminding her of who’s in control. Except, she doesn't learn. She never fucking learns her place and that drives him mad.

She was so close to escape. She was already planning her next moves in the Valley. But like always Jacob had to come and fuck all her plans. He straightens his back and takes the music box never leaving the eye contact. She knows there's no way he's gonna listen to whatever she's going to say. But she still can try somethin’ that might work.

“Please, no…” She tries to speak but everything spills out as a whimper. 

“You’re weak.” He adds and rolls the key in between his fingers. “And you know what happens to the weak.”

“Jacob.” She whispers and looks at him with pleading eyes, a  tear rolling down her cheek as he puts the box on the table and leans into her. “I beg you, don’t.”

“Why shouldn’t I?” He asks out of sudden. “Give me one fucking reason, why I shouldn’t send you through another trial?” His expression blank, he doesn’t avert his gaze even when the other two hostages go back and forth in their places making noises. “Just when I thought you’ve learnt your place, you tried to run away. Even more, destroyed one of my beacons. I’m asking you again, why shouldn’t I?”

"'Cause you..." She makes a mocking smirk. "Kinda like me?"

He clenches his jaw and slowly shakes his head as her smile widen. She was strong no matter what he said. She was surely the only one who truly equalled his strength. And she won't allow him to make her feel weaker. He sighs and lowers his gaze to her hands now sore from the ropes. After a few minutes he lifts his head and stares at hers. After a second, he again reaches for the box and only when she thinks she’s fucked as shit, his radio cracks to life.

_“Jacob, sir. It’s Eli. He was spot near your bunker!”_

She notices some spark in his eyes as he retreats from her, smirk tugging on his lips.

“I’ll see you very soon, Deputy.” He whispers something to Pratt and leaves the room. Staci approaches her and takes a needle filled with bliss from his pocket.

“Staci, don’t. He knows it was you... We need to get y-...”

“I’m sorry. Don’t let Eli show you his bunker. His life is on a thread.”

“Sta-,” he injects the needle into her neck and her vision blurs.

 _"You’re gonna be alright. I pro-.”_ She hears a soft whisper and blacks out immediately after.

 

She feels the world spinning around, her body trembling as she opens her eyes and immediately closes them. She notices the surroundings quickly changing until her eyes adjust a bit. Still, she can’t clearly see the contours. The bliss is still running in her blood and she feels sick. She’s in the truck as she recognizes. Forest. Lake. She’s still in the Mountains, as she figures, but she’s taken to quite the opposite direction from the Vet. She rubs her eyes and yawns before turning to her left.

“Jacob… where are we-?” She widens her eyes when she’s met with an unfamiliar young guy more focused on the road than on the woman in the passenger’s seat. The conditioning has already made her a killer machine and out of instincts, once spotting a handgun in a stranger's holster, she grabs it aiming at the boy.

“Oh, hey, calm down!” He shouts and raises his right hand in surrender. “We’re not gonna hurt ya.”

She lowers her gun, feeling her eyes scratchy. She blinks a few more times still feeling a pain.

“Who are you? Where are we heading?” She questions him.

“I’m a member of the Militia. It’s Eli.” He points at the man behind them.

“Eli?” She sends him a confused look and that’s when she remembers the man in the photo on Jacob’s desk. “But they said you were…”

“Near his bunker, huh?” The man laughs. “Oh yeah. A simple trick. Some of my people caught a few of his hunters and threatened to say whatever we wanted. So, we got some time to liberate you. But you were gone for a while.”

“How did you?”

“We have cameras everywhere, Deputy.” The other man states and turns to the right, heading onto the hill. “That’s the place. Lemme help you.”

“No, Eli. You don’t understand. You can’t…” She tries to speak but she already feels weak when they help her stand out of the truck. Before she can even say a word, she feels she's losing her consciousness again.  _No, not now..._ She tries so hard to stay awake but her body fails her.

_“Shhh… You’ll be alright. You're safe now, hero.”_


	8. Non-believers by The Path

“Are you out of your fuckin’ mind?!” She watches as the middle aged woman she found out to be that famous Tammy Barnes argues with Eli and the young man Wheaty about her presence in the Wolf’s Den. Of course, it was dangerous, considering how many times Jacob’s already fucked with her minds. But the worst thing was that Eli didn’t care. No matter how many times the Deputy herself told him about his life being on a thread, he either was foolishly convinced everything’s was going to be okay or he had something else in his minds.

“I’m not gonna repeat myself here, Tammy. We need her.” Eli shakes his head and nods towards the Hero. “You didn’t see her in action. She’s the only one who stands ground here. It’s hard to impress Dutch, but if he trusts her and believes in her, so am I.”

“You don’t know what Jacob does to people. I have! You’re gonna regret this, Eli. Think with your head!” She puts her hands on her hips and shakes her head. “You can’t trust this one! Who knows what he has done to her!”

“Some people said the same about ya, Tammy. They were wrong.” Eli smashes his fist into the table. The Deputy still lies on the sofa, exchanging glances with either of them  and after a while is met with angry expression in Tammy’s face who passes her by and moves to her experimental room. Eli sighs as he sits in a chair in front of her.

“Ya know she’s right.” The Deputy groans while trying to sit on the couch. “You can’t trust me wholeheartedly. That song… He must already know I’m here. What if he turns it on and I...”

 “Wheaty unconditioned you. Jacob has no power over ya now, Deputy. But he’s not going to let it go that easy. You see, after our little ambush, his men captured some of ours. Uses them to get info about our location to get you back. If our people open their mouths, we’re dead.”

“You need my help?” She raises an eyebrow when memories flood her. _Those idiots are just sitting down in their bunkers sending orders to everyone, me… I send orders and I lead..._  She shakes her head to get rid of these thoughts. It was just a way to fuck with her already sick mind.

“I’d not ask if that wasn’t that important. He’d expect us to go and rescue them. But you, well… He’d not expect you there. Not after what you went through.” He stands from his spot and nears her, sitting next to her on the sofa. “I know you have lots of troubles with the Seeds right now. You’ve barely escaped from him and the last thing you want is to get into his radar again. I promise, once you help me, I’m gonna call those friends you hang up with and I’ll send you out. We can’t lose you. Not when we’re in full swing of this war.”

She thinks for minutes before nodding.

“Fine. But I’m gonna do it my way.”

After ten minutes of trying to get her stance on the floor, she makes her moves to the central room where Eli is already planning his next moves against Jacob.

“You do realize he left me there so I could get your location, right? I’m still not sure about that damn song. What if he only needs to turn it on and I’ll turn into one of his killing machines in no time?” She asks and Eli gives her a half-grin.

“Don’t you worry. Once again, Wheaty and I tested this method for a while, no people were back under Jacob’s control after that. You’re safe, Hero.”

“Mhm. If that was so easy to believe.”

She leans against one of his tables and watches through the monitors. After a few seconds she hears one of the Chosen in Tammy’s experiment room screaming out of pain and she remembers that night when they rescued her.

_“You’re safe now, Hero.” Were the last words she heard after blacking out. She opened her eyes hours later, finding herself tied up in the same chair in Tammy’s room. She felt shiver running down her spine as she noticed being stuck in a water pool with wires linked to a device._

_“She’s lucky Tammy’s not here.” A young man said after noticing the Deputy waking._

_“Let’s start this, Wheaty.”_

_She remembers when she heard the first few seconds of ‘Only You’ and started shrieking when her vision turned red. But the worst part has only started, when the young man turned the device and she felt the electric current ran down her body. It wasn’t that bad at least but was still uncomfortable._

_“You have to focus on what I say, Deputy.” She hears male’s voice. “You can’t let that anger consume you. This will reverse the conditioning. Listen to me. Breath in and out.”_

_She does as he say when she feels a stronger current rushing down her nerves and she clenches her teeth against the rag in her mouth, her tears rolling down her cheeks._

_“She’s not gonna make it, Eli.”_

_“She’s strong.” He barks at the young man and grabs the switch, increasing the voltage slightly. “It’s not lethal, Wheaty. She just has to repulse the desire to kill. Next time she hears the song, she remembers the pain and she will fight against Jacob.”_

_“I know how it works, sir.” The young man scoffs and watches as she squirms in the chair._

_“Deputy, you’re awake?” The older man asks and turns off the current, putting on gloves and reaching to cup her cheek. She feels two strong forces inside her, as she constantly sees red and white._

_“The weak must be cu-culled…” She says after a while and Eli shakes his head._

_“He got into her head, Eli. It’s a waste of time.”_

_“No.” He simply states and turns to switch. “We’ll get her back.”_

_“Cu-cull the weak-k. Make yo-your sa-acrifice.” All those words she learnt during the trials spit out involuntarily. She squirms in her place, she finds herself hard to concentrate on the main targets as she couldn’t move. Moreover, something strange happened when the song mixed with another one, as her senses came back to her. There were voices, strange voices…_

_“Wake up.” She hears Eli again. “You have to wake up, Deputy.” Something snaps at her as another electric current runs down her spine and she snaps her eyes open._

_“Good. Breath, Deputy.” Eli pats her shoulder. “You’ve done well.”_

_You’ve done well. She has already heard these words before._

_“Wheaty, take her to your room. Place that fuckin’ music for her. She needs to relax.”_

She watches as Eli crosses a few more lines on the map, examining the rest parts.

“Jacob’s actions are unexpected. If he’s up to something the only way is to outthink him and make a few steps ahead. That’s what we’re planning to do.”

“You can’t outthink a man like him.” She jumps so she’s sitting on the table and watches the map. There are some places circled, probably some prepper stash.

“You know what will make him furious?” Eli asks out of sudden. She shakes her head and he smiles. “There’s one place in the north. Called Lawnsdone Airstrip. Not far away from the Grand View. Some folks say he hides his famous plane there. Pack Hunter. Red as blood, for his own liking.”

“You say he has a plane?” She smirks. “And you’re telling me this only now?” She jumps from the table and takes the bow.

“This is the best way to make your escape memorable. Before you go, I think you need to know something. There are two men there…”

“Not now, Eli. Later.” She interrupts and moves to the stairs.

 

 

 _“Jacob’s for sure secured the area.”_ Eli adds after a while. _“There are some routes you could get into Visitor Centre, I’m gonna update you with that when you reach it.”_

She doesn’t listen to him, just tightens her grip on the bow moving past the trees.

“Okay, I’m ready to go. I’ll be there soon.” She leans against one of the pines and scans the area. The landscape is astonishing, nothing like Valley or Henbane and she already falls for it. But there’s no peace. Not until the Seed family was buried to the ground. And Jacob still had to pay for everything he’s done to her.

 

 Everything looked suspicious. Quiet too. The were some peggies patrolling the area while the others were punching the hostages to get the information out of them. But, still, something’s seemed wrong there.

“Are we-?”

“Shhh.” She puts her index finger to her lips and motions for Sharky to get behind the crates as she takes her binoculars and zooms in to get better look of the inside of the rustic building. “Something’s not right here.” She whispers to Hurk and shakes her head. “It’s too easy.”

Hurk just shrugs his shoulders and moves past her to the other side than Sharky while she readies her rifle. And truth to be told, it’s exactly same like Jacob’s, except for the colour.

 _“Remember, we have to make this quiet. If they spot you, they’ll kill our men.”_ Eli’s voice kills the silence and she rolls her eyes.

_He, out of all people, shouldn’t question her techniques. No one should teach her how to do things._

“I know, Eli…” She groans from annoyance and puts the radio on the grass, just in case he decided to disturb the silence again. Then she takes a good spot to shoot one of the peggies at the top. What happens next makes her jaw drop.

“ _Not bad.”_ She closes her eyes. Of course, he knew. She mustn’t have doubted Jacob. He knew she was coming. Deeply inside she knew he was always around, always knowing her moves. _“But you can do better than this.”_ She quickly turns around and spots… nothing. That’s when he hears her chuckling and she raises her head a bit noticing a CCTV set directly at her and she clenches her jaw. She takes the rifle and sends a bullet into the camera.

 _“Well, this wasn’t very nice.”_ He chuckles and she inhales deeply trying to suppress the eagerness to answer to the biggest asshole of this county. _“You clearly don’t know how much all this shit costs to me.”_ She doesn’t answer to him, just aims at the other peggie now holding a bliss barrel in his hands. “ _Must be tired, huh? Constantly running errands for those cowards. I’m pretty surprised he sent you straight away. Thought you were gonna spend a few days hiding.”_

She doesn’t answer again, just keeps walking forward sending a few more bullets into the backs of the peggies as she reaches for one of the hostages and cuts the ropes from his wrists.

“There are more of us. Hawkeye Tunnel. Deputy, hurry up!” One of the hostages shouts at her as he takes the rifle. “I’m gonna free the others.”

“Yeah… You’re welcome!” She yells to him once he rounds the corner and sighs. “Fuckin’ Resistance morons.”

 _“So… let’s say you win. What’s next? Gonna run back to that coward, teenager and a housewife?”_ She rolls her eyes. _“You think they care about you? Think they’ll need you after all this war?”_

“Oh please…” She loses her patience and grabs the radio. “Like you care. You’re the one who put me through hell. You’re the one who conditioned, tortured me and made me kill others. How dare you say they’re worse then you when in fact you are the biggest asshole in this whole county?! At least Eli came to save me!”

He doesn’t answer for a while and she’s grateful. It doesn’t take long before she hears a heavy sigh and a low voice again.

 _“You don’t know what you’re talking about. I made you strong…”_ It’s not a taunt, something tells her he just said truth and it raises a lot of questions in her head. She doesn’t make any move, just sits on the inclement ground and breathes heavily. For a long time, she has never talked with anyone about what she felt, except for Sharky. He was like her soul brother, it was more special than the bond she had with her brothers at all. But if Jacob really was up to listening of how she felt, she was more than glad to open up for him. At least he wouldn’t ever get a chance to taunt her about her feelings when everyone will find this out.

“You made me vulnerable, Jacob.” She whispers into the radio, feeling a tear rolling down her cheek. “You have no idea how many nightmares I had since the first trial. I let you play with my minds. I wanted to see how far you go before you stop. Except you never stopped. You kept pushing me out of limits and you know what? You didn’t break me. Yes, it made me strong. Strong enough to disobey you again and again and again. You just made me angrier. For you. For your fuckin’ family. I’m not gonna let you hurt me again.” The last sentences are spitted aloud and roughly.

 _“Is that a threat?”_ She scoffs and shakes her head.

“It’s a promise, Seed. Next time we see each other, you’ll end six feet under ground.” She shuts the radio before hearing his voice again.

 

At the end of the day Sharky, Hurk Jr. and the Junior Deputy had the fortune on their sides. Despite how many times Jacob sent his hunters on them, maybe even got there himself, they still found a way to slip from under their noses and safely made their way back to the Valley. Well, the way they made it was brilliantly _dis_ organised. She found the Lawnsdone Airstrip. And she found a way to get inside from the top. Until then everything seemed to be alright. She was in the air for the first time and she started bragging about her new skill to Addie, who was flying beside her.

 She was so excited to finally handle a plane by herself that she didn’t even notice what was coming into her view. The only thing she remembers was Addie’s constant waving and pointing in front, until she turned her ‘Tulip’ and flew away. That’s how the famous ‘YES’ sign blew to hell.

John Seed was sitting in his balcony sipping his evening tea when it happened. His sign was always illuminated by the lights he specifically bought for this thing. His cup was half full as he took another sip and spilt it out onto the floor, as the piece of the ‘E’ and half of ‘S’ letters fell down. He quickly jumped from his spot, taking his radio and pulling it to his lips.

“Rogers, the hell just happened?” His voice not calm at all. It wasn’t just something. If an explosion happened near his ranch or in any outpost he wouldn’t be surprised. The resistance always tried to prove their strength. This, however, this wasn’t an accident. Someone did this. And he had the idea of _who_ that person was, especially after whole Hope County was spreading news about the newest alliance between the Junior Deputy and Eli.

_“Our reports say the Junior Deputy crossed the Valley ten minutes ago from the Mountains, sir. Our best Chosen spot her in the air flying Herald Jacob’s plane.”_

His jaw drops quickly, his fists tightening on his side and radio, shaking from anger. However, he just couldn’t miss a chance to make things worse. He quickly sets the right frequency and clears his throat. The person he’s calling would be very pissed about the recent news. When he hears a beep, he starts chuckling.

_"What d’ya want, John? Why not having a beauty sleep?”_

He sits in the chair. He’s not happy about the destruction of his sign. No. He’s gonna make the Deputy pay for this.

“What’s with the voice? Haven’t troubles big brother?” He smiles but it quickly fades away as he watches a rain of bullets flying into the last letters. “I’m pretty sure you’re not up to date about what is happening here in the Valley?” He folds his legs over each other on the rail and watches as the fumes from just exploded plane raises into the air.

“ _What? Spilled coffee on your shirt or got attacked by an angry chihuahua?”_

“Always joking around.” John chuckles a few more times before his face changes into a serious expression, as he notices another black dot in the sky blowing ‘Y’ next. _Adelaide Drubman, for sure._ Nick’s plane was still there in the hangar. No way he was able to do that. “Actually, you’re playing a part in this too.”

He can swear in this moment Jacob changes.

_“Listening.”_

John smiles. Actually, smiles. He can’t wait for the opportunity to be the one telling his elder brother the news.

“You’re not informed yet it seems.” He takes a deep inhale. “Remember that plane you boast about so much?”

 _“Mhm.”_ Visibly annoyed by his brother’s call. _“Cut this shit off. Straight to business, John. I have work to do.”_

“The Deputy just crashed it into my sign.” He watches as the last letter falls down and he already feels his blood boiling inside his veins. He hears some noises coming from the other end and can only guess what happened to the vase Faith put on his desk a few days ago. He hears Jacob muttering something but he can't clearly understand. He only hears him saying _"That fuckin'...."_ and sudden frequent beeping on the other end. 

He takes a few more deep inhales before setting another frequency. He shouldn't be doing this, his voice wasn't calm and he knew she would be excited hearing the anger in his voice once again.

“When this little uprising is over, you will rebuild that piece by piece. You’ll work until your fingers are worn to the bone and when you’re done, I’ll bury you beneath it.” He doesn’t expect her answer that quick, but when he gets it, he sends his cup straight to the ground next to his guard’s feet.

_“Can’t wait to see, Johnny Boy. Come and get me if you can.”_

It takes minutes for him to relax, as he next grabs the same radio and orders for his men to go and collect the Deputy. Until then he was happy enough to pay Hudson a visit.

 

She didn’t want this. It was an accident. But she wasn’t the one to explain this to a very angry baby Seed now sending trucks one followed by another to capture her again. It was her mistake to say something that stupid after everything she’s pulled. So, that’s why now they were driving on max speed passing DIY and DOA  to get into Falls End as soon as possible with John’s trucks on their heels.

“Faster, Hurk!” The Deputy shouts while still sending gunshots at the trucks which now look like being slightly more armoured. Sharky on the other hand is passed out, unconsciously lying on the back seat after one of John’s men shot him with a bliss bullet. “I don’t have enough of the story to tell John!”

It _was supposed to be a fucking fast car. Why in hell it moved so slowly?_

 

“I fuckin’ can’t believe this.” She hisses while crawling on the cold ground trying to hide from the heavily armoured gunners scanning the area. Just thirty minutes ago they were pointing their fingers at the peggies who somehow managed to turn to the wrong direction and now they were here. She only managed to grab Sharky’s body and toss it from the truck and jump themselves, as the truck exploded.

“I hate him. I fuckin’ hate him.” She sends her fist into the ground and quickly freezes as one of John’s men passes her by.

"Look everywhere. They couldn't get far away!" She hears the heavy gunner somewhere behind her but she doesn't dare to move. There are three of peggies scanning the surroundings in front with their backs to them, but she knows there are someone nearby.

"John would be pissed," another man whispers left from her as he nudges another one. She smirks at the thought of John being fooled again. 

They wait there for twenty more or less minutes before Sharky finally shows some signs of consciousness. He nearly groans when Hurk slaps his hand on Sharky's mouth and shakes his head. Another few minutes and she watches as the men with a sigh gets to their trucks and move further, examining the area.

"Let's go," she whispers to Hurk and Sharky and they slowly raise from the ground and move towards the river to get to the other side. "How in hell are we gonna get to the Falls End?" She asks out of sudden, noticing black smoke in front. They should be nearing another outpost she clearly missed. But it's not a simple one. Her eyes widen as they finally climb the hill and once again find themselves in Seed ranch.

"Looks like all roads lead to John," Sharky nudges her and she rolls her eyes. She sneaks behind one of the decorations and takes her binoculars, watching as a peggie rounds the hangar and stops half way, blocking the doors. But what catches her attention is the same annoying silky play boy getting outside and moving to his SUV.

"Well well well," she widens her smile. "Look who's up this beautiful evening." She grabs her rifle, puts the silencer on and aims.

"Um, Dep?" Hurk looks with confusion as she opens her mouth and pulls the trigger.

They watch as suddenly bullet hits the front mirror and John quickly gets behind his car, motioning for his people to find the intruders.

"Why did you just-?" Sharky asks while following his best-friend from behind, as they move into hangar. She opens her mouth to speak when her eyes narrow.

"Nick fucking Rye," she growls as she spots 'Carmina'. "I'm going to fucking kill him." She smashes her boot into the floor, when another peggie gets inside and starts shouting.

"They're here!" Hurk quickly smashes a baseball bat into his head. "I'm gonna get some time. Move!"

She shakes her head as she slips inside the plane and starts the engine. 

"I'm really going to kill him." 

 

She wasn’t very keen on flying that thing, especially after everything that has happened on her way back to the Valley, but there was no time as the alarms went off and she heard peggies running inside. She always thought about the day of her death. But right now the scenario exceeded her imagination. She didn't have license to handle such a thing. It was illegal. But who cared? If Max was here, he would push her to do such thrilling things. In the worst case, everyone would find out the 'YES' sign blew to hill on accident, not because some sort of Deputy decided to get rid of it.

But what excited her most, was John. John wouldn't be John if he didn't threaten her all the way until she landed. All those pretty little words his mouth said. She would pay him a visit for this, but not today. At least one person was happy. And it was Nick.

Now, though, she and her friends were exasperated. Too much to even talk with each other, as they made their way through the woods on different ATVs in case more men came on them.

It’s nearly midnight when John gets a report from his guards about three of his silos being destroyed with Nick's plane and now his enemies being on their way to U.S. Auto. On halfway they quickly jumped from the ATVs and joined together in a stolen truck, stopping in the middle of the road after Mary May informed about John’s convoys coming. She looks through the scope as she spots a few trucks coming down the road and readies Hurk’s weapon, launching a few RPG grenades into one at the front.

“Have you seen it?! Have you…?!” After the third convoy explodes, she jogs back to Hurk Jr. and Sharky who both are now sitting on the bonnet of the truck.

“Not bad, dude. Ann-Curry-ed Johnny Law’s boys… But I dunno… I mean, it was really cute to see ya with my thing… but still. You need some practice, dude.” Hurk steps away from the truck. “Let me show ya how profs work. See that peggy chopper goin’ after our guy?” He points forward. “Learn, Dep.” He aims at the chopper and a few seconds later the chopper falls down. “Okay, let’s gonna find other volunteers.” Hurk says and they all move back to the truck.

 

“What a day!” She laughs loudly and heads towards their truck after successful liberation of U.S. Auto. They decide to meet up with Addie, because the inner voice of hers tells her to leave Holland Valley immediately. They only finish listening to ‘Set those sinners free’ and ‘Oh the bliss’ when an expected happens.

 _“Dep-yoo-tee…”_ Comes John’s voice not long after the events. _”You’ve had your fun. But all sinners must confess. This is the will of the Father. My men are coming for you. I’ll see you soon.”_

 _Damn him_. She thinks and tightens her grip on the wheel.

“ _He’s coming after you again, kid.”_ Dutch speaks as she heads to the bridge, linking Holland Valley to Henbane River.

“I know, Dutch.” She shouts at the radio. “Hurk, Sharky! Watch the roads!” But before she can say anything more, she quickly notices two peggie trucks heading towards her from both sides from the woods. _Good plan surrounding me…_ But she knows better. If that’s what John wants, she’s gonna play that little cat and mouse game and she turns the wheel to the nearest path on the left, heading right into the woods.

"Dep, carefully!" She hears Hurk shouting, as she suddenly turns to the right, sending him to the opposite direction.

She can see some lights blinking from behind her, trying to blind her but she is too focused to get rid of peggies before John catches her again. “No way I’m gonna confess anythin’!” She yells and pushes the accelerator pedal harder.

She turns her head to see the direction the peggies are taking and that’s when she makes her first mistake. As she turns her eyes back to the road, her eyes lock with a huge tree opposite her and the truck crashes into the tree.

 

She recovers not long after the crash. She sees her friends still being unconscious, while the peggies are trying to open the doors and get her out. She notices a few bruises on her arms and feels a deep cut in her forehead with blood dripping down from it. She feels dizzy and nearly loses her own consciousness while trying to get out through the passenger’s doors, while a few peggies searching for any tools they can use to open the doors. She hisses as her body uncomfortably lands on the ground and she reaches for her ribs putting enough pressure. She quickly scans the area. She must be close to Henbane. If she hurried, she’ll be there in no time, except her wounds make it harder for her to move. She recognizes as the same VIP who was in her Cleansing, talks with someone on the radio. Obviously, John. _Not gonna be captured after the crash again. No way!_

She sends a quiet moan and tries to crouch. She sees the river separating both regions but she doesn’t think she can pass it. The river is definitely poured with bliss what will make her weaker. She can’t call Addie either. The radio she had with her is crumpled and the only radio she notices is now in VIP’s hands.

“Yes, John,” she hears the VIP turning off the radio and turning, so his face now looks at the wreckage. “The Deputy! Where is she?” He yells and the peggies quickly gathers around the truck slammed into the tree. Luckily, during this time she manages to somehow hide behind one of the trees and starts planning her route to Henbane. 

For a few seconds she freezes. Not because she got caught by them. No. But because for just a second she thought she noticed someone hiding in the woods. Sudden sounds nearby makes her jump as she finds herself running deeply to that direction. She hears gunshots, she feels a few not deep holes in her arm, shoulder and hip as the bliss bullets hit her body but she still moves forward.  _Almost. Almost..._

She can't see anything, only a few flashlights being turned on as the peggies scanned the area. She hated woods. She hated darkness. And together they created a mixture of feelings inside her. She feels her breathing rate increasing, her heart beating faster as she slowly makes step by step deeper in the forest. The trees that dressed in dark shadows towered above her and she felt herself shivering. She feels the branches brushing against her skin, and she out of sudden feels claustrophobic. She hears the crunch of the leaves beneath her feet as she makes one step followed by another, constantly turning around. But no ones here... At least, that's what she thinks. The absent sounds of other living creatures spooks her and she starts wondering where they all have gone. Suddenly, she hears the soft ripples of the water and sighs with relief once nearing the river. She quickly spots the Father's statue and steps forward. That's when she notices the boat on the shore and tosses her rifle on the ground, followed by the AR-C, leaving her handgun in her holster.

Her body is half in the water when she starts pushing the boat deeper into the river.

But everyone knows what happens to reckless people. Few minutes don't even pass, when two strong arms grab her body, one wrapping around her waist, while another squeezes her throat. She feels something tickling her neck  and a soft whistling from behind her and she closes her eyes. _Holly fuckin crap…_ She feels one arm reaching for her handgun and then the figure rounds her and points the barrel against her forehead. There are other noises coming from around her and she knows she royally fucked. Because when she opens her eyes there’s that person she wanted to see least.

“Nice to see you again,” he smiles. “ _Dep-yoo-tee…”_

 

She wakes up and feels something’s very painfully squeezing her wrists. She heavily sighs and squeezes her eyes shut tightly as a light quickly shines into her sensitive eyes. There’s a movement she can tell. She feels someone’s presence nearby and when she opens her eyelids just a bit, she notices a figure constantly struggling in the seat. _Hudson..?_

“What the-.” She tries to stand from the spot only to be pushed down by two strong tattooed hands. “John…” She grits her teeth when that smile she wants so badly to wipe away from his face appears in front of her.

He doesn’t say a word. Just keeps walking past her, holding sort of tool box and puts it on the desk. _Handsome disaster._

_"Dep-yoo-tee..." He said before handing the gun to his VIP and folding his arms behind his back._

_"John Seed," she sighs. "And here I thought when we were going to meet again."_

_The smile in his face never leaves him, as he lowers his head and shakes his head. After a few more minutes, when he lifts his head, there is no softness in his expression. He takes a few steps towards her and puts his hands on her shoulders as roughly pulls her towards himself and leans forward, whispering into her ear._

_"Last time I didn't cleanse you properly." He widens his smile and she can clearly recognize that sadistic look illuminated by the moonlight. "This time..." He roughly pushes her down into the river and holds her in place constantly chuckling._ _"What a spirit, brothers." She hears him and his people laughing, but the only thing she can focus on, is the absence of the air in her lungs, as she starts choking. "Oh no, Deputy. You're not gonna die that easy." He pulls her from the water, and gently brushes her hair strands from her face tsking her._

 _"Fuck you, you-." She can't finish as he once again pushes her deep._ _He holds her for thirty seconds before raising her again._

_"Wanted to say something, my dear?"  He looks at her with pleased expression._

_"You pig." She finishes. He just sighs._

_"The Peter said unto them: "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus for the remission of sins". He who believeth and is baptized shall be saved," he gets closer to her and pokes at her with his finger. "But he that believeth not shall be damned. But who am I to judge you. So..." He circles his chest with his hand and looks at her. "I'll make you worthy of Atonement. I will pull these sins that close your heart, from you. I'll help you."_

_The last thing she remembers was his smile, as a bliss bullet hit her neck and she blacked out._

 

She watches as he sighs, clearly annoyed by her presence, but after a second he forces a smile in his face and stares at her.

"Where are Sharky and Hurk?" She clears her throat, even it's hard to speak from the dehydration.

'Where you left them." He answers and carries on. “My parents… were the first ones to teach me about… the power – of yes.” He sends her a dangerous grin and turns to his box scattering the tools around and… _did he just take out a piece of skin and hang it on the board_? She narrows her eyes to zoom in what she’s

“One night they pulled me into the kitchen and they showed me on ground… and I experienced… pain after pain after pain after…” He smashes the hammer against the table and leans against it once again. “And when I didn’t think I could take anymore…” He raises his eyebrow and his grin just widens even more seeing the fright in both of his hostages’ faces.  “I did.”

He takes something what seems like tattoo gun and approaches the Deputy now, clearly ignoring Hudson’s squirming.

“I looked up at them and all I could say was ‘YES’.” He turns on the tool and he scares the fuck out of her when she spots his eyes shining and then… then he puts the tattoo gun down and heads towards her, ripping her favourite shirt apart.

“You sonava-.” He smacks his hand against her cheek and her eyes widen. It’s a soft gesture, though. If he raised a hand against a woman like Jacob was used to do, then they would have had a very serious conversation.

“Language, Dep-yoo-tee.” He sings out the nickname he has given to her and looks down at her fully exposed chest. _Fuck. Sod’s Law -_ the only time she decided to wash her bra, she would definitely be captured by the most sadistic sex-addicted idiot of the fucking family. Just amazing.

“Like what you see?” She whispers though it could clearly be seen she’s bewildered.

He doesn’t answer, just shows her a satisfied look and his expression says he’s growing harder and harder each second. She gulps and tries her best to increase the distance between their faces. _Fucking pricks, always leaning into her personal space_.

“The only word you need to say is ‘YES’.” He smiles at her and for a second, she thinks she will explode when his eyes linger on her chest again but for a little longer. “It’s only one word…” But before he can continue, one of his guards charges inside dragging a man by his sleeve.

“Brother John, we caught an intruder. Said had a message to you.” He sent the young man on the ground and that’s when the Deputy’s smile widened.

“Oh gosh.” She starts laughing. “Shark? What the hell?!”

John just shakes his head, clearly pissed by this interruption as he motions for his man to tie him on the chair. He breaths out a few more times before leaning towards her and carrying on.

“Where have we ended?” He gives her a smirk. “So… it’s only one word…”

“Fuck!” John narrows his eyes and opens his mouth from shock, turning his head just a bit to stare at Sharky, who now innocently sits in his chair.

“What did you just say?”

Sharky clears his throat and clearly ignores her pleading to not continue.

“I said… you want to fuck her. Obvious. Why would have you ripped her shirt apart? And look at that bulge in your pants. Mhmmmm.” He repeatedly nods.

John backs away from her quicker than she ever thought and heads past his box, grabbing a screwdriver and pointing it at Boshaw.

“Want to repeat that?”

“I can say that thousands of times a day. Hell, I can even record it for ya, ya know.”

She wants to facepalm herself. Sharky screwed up. John’s not gonna let him go alive this time.

“Look. Everyone in this county knows that. Addie thinks you like this cat and mouse game because you love her. Mary May says you like stripping in front of your mirror and playing with yourself thinking of the Deputy… Hurk belie-.”

“Just stop right there!”

“But, um-.”

“Stop!” He barks at her bestie. She can’t link the ends. What did Mary say?

“The hell you two…?” He looks between her and Sharky. She just shrugs her shoulders.  “You two… are just… unbelievable.” He shakes his head. Of course, it wouldn’t look nice if Joseph found out about these rumours. But how much of the truth was in them?

She hears him breathing in, breathing out. Each time harder than the previous one. Until he exhales heavily and turns to her once again, brushing his hand over his vest to maintain his good-looking. He takes a tape and sticks it over Sharky’s mouth. Like it was going to help. He still carried on squirming and sending strangest noises. He clears his throat and looks at her with pure angst.

“So, where were we?”

 

Later, everything else happens in speed of the flare. One moment John is straddling her waist and nearly starting making his handiwork on her chest and the other one of his cultists start screaming about sudden explosions in his the bunker.

He was gone just for ten minutes and when he comes back none of the three are here in the confession room and he slams his fists into the nearest wall running quickly to the control room and pushing down the radio button.

“All units, the hostages are escaping. Want them back here and now!” He then takes the radio set on the right frequency and starts his usual monologues.

 

 _“Confession is an admission of one’s sins. Our souls need to confess. By looking deep within ourselves, by exposing the darkness inside us, we free our souls from the burden of their sin. That’s what I’m offering.”_ She sneaks behind one of the cultists while motioning for Sharky to take the other and grabs him by his neck, slamming him into the nearest wall.

“That one was easy.” He rubs his hands later and looks at Hudson, who still can’t figure out who is the man.

“Wait…” She starts after a while. “Isn’t he that pyromaniac Whitehorse commanded to arrest long ago?” They both stop in their tracks and turn to Hudson. “It’s him…” She points at Sharky who raises his hands in defence.

“Let’s not talk about this right now, okay?” She hugs Hudson tightly. “We need to get out. As much as I like Seed brothers’ voices, I’m not in the mood to hearing another monologue right now, huh?” She nods and takes a pistol from the dead peggie.

_“So, I will save you, Deputy. I will help you lift that burden. I will help you confess. And I will pass no judgement on you no matter how…messy it gets.”_

“Is he going to stop at some point?” She asks while watching the surroundings and then motioning for Hudson to move by her side while Sharky slides behind the crate. They watch as peggies run to the other direction searching for them.

“Move.” She tells Sharky and motions for Hudson to get in between them. She’s not going to let Hudson be tortured again. She opens the second heavy doors and turns to her right, not even knowing where they were going. It comes no surprise when they get into the same corridor except for dozens of guns being pointed at them.

“What did you say about that corridor leading to the stairs?” She asks Sharky while watching as some of the peggies step aside to create a clear path for John to come in front.

“I didn’t.” He bites his lip and raises his eyebrows.

“Aaaagh, my two favourite Deputies and an outsider.” He sends a short glimpse at Sharky and then smiles at both Deputies, especially when Elena gets Hudson behind her.

“Let her leave. I’m gonna confess.”

“No, Rook!” Hudson tries to reach for her, but Sharky grabs her by her hand.

John looks satisfied by her but only when she starts realizing he will accept, he starts shaking his head.

“It’s not how it works. I don’t need the second Deputy to carry on your path. ‘Sides, her presence here keeps you under control.”

“Huh?” The Junior Deputy looks with confusion but quickly understands what he meant when he nods to his people to take them back. The peggies quickly grab Hudson and Sharky and separate them.

“I don’t want him anywhere near. Show him out!” John points towards the doors and the peggie nods in agreement. The Deputy notices when the cultists start pulling Hudson forward, increasing the distance by each step. She is scared. Scared of what John’s going to do to Hudson, when he ties her again and that makes her blood boil. She quickly turns around and snaps the peggie’s neck and charges at John with her handgun aiming at him, when a peggie runs in front of him and a gunshot echoes through the corridor, sending the peggie to the ground.

“Protect John!” She hears someone.

John turns around just when the dead peggie falls to the ground and quickly turns to the right, grabbing Hudson with himself and dragging her. She and Sharky kills the last peggies and runs to the doors when John quickly locks them and stares at her with a satisfied grin. He repeatedly motions at her with his finger and grabs Hudson by her hands, forcing her into the chair and tying her hands. When he finishes, he walks towards the doors and presses something so she can hear him laughing. And it innervates her even more. She starts slamming at the doors and trying to break them, seeing Hudson’s scared face. _I was so close. So, fucking close. Hudson, no!_

After a while her energy wipes out and she looks at John with a pleading look, her eyes already filling with tears. She looks past him to Hudson, now crying and shouting through the gag John put into her mouth.

 _“I know your sin.”_ He starts. “ _It drives you. Every thought, every action…”_ His smirk widens even more when her angry eyes lock with his. _“Your sin… is wrath.”_ He laughs even more and it makes her so weak, so vulnerable. _“So…”_ He circles his left hand over his chest and glances at her once again. _“I’ll indulge you: become wrath. Let it fill your body, consume your soul, because at the end… you’ll still be empty. And I’ll be right here…”_ He sends a look at Hudson. “ _We both will.”_

And with that he leaves. Pull Hudson backwards, giving the Deputy his goodbyes.

Sharky doesn't leave it like this. He can’t watch his best friend crying. He grabs the barrels and explodes them before leaving, filling half of the bunker with bliss. He would have done this to the whole bunker, maybe even destroyed it if not a simple gesture of the Deputy, when she put her hand over his shoulder.

“She’s still there, Shark. Don’t.”

She leaves the bunker with slow calculated steps, raising her gun and shooting everyone in their faces, not caring if they had families or not. It doesn’t matter at this moment. She lost this chance. The _only_ chance to get Hudson back. From now on, John’s gonna be more careful.

 

After the unlucky saving of Deputy Hudson, Elena is quickly transported to Rye’s house and closes from everybody for the whole day, lowering her head down and just gazing at the floor. No one dares to check up on her and just stays in the living room, still hoping to see her coming down.

“How’s she?” Grace asks once opening the main doors and getting inside.

Everyone just shrugs their shoulders.

“And you just let your best friend stay there alone?” She shakes her head and quickly gets upstairs. She knocks just once before entering and seeing the broken side of the Deputy makes her upset.

“Dep, you alright there?” She asks but once she notices Sharky passing her by with a shaking head, she understands nothing is okay. She hears her sobs and quietly approaches, sitting next to her and wrapping her arm over her shoulders.

“He-e sent me this. A-as a price I had to pa-ay for interrupting his confession and destroying ha-alf of his bunker from the i-inside.” She clears her throat but her tears can be clearly seen.

“What is in it?” Grace asks looking at Sharky who doesn’t answer and just stares back at the Deputy.

It doesn’t take long before they both replace each other and Grace gets downstairs and puts the recorder on. She notices two figures. Deputy, who’s now again kidnapped by John, and him himself leaning against her with a knife.

“ _It was the Father who said to me: ‘Take them John. Take them even if they resist.’ All they must do is confess and they’ll be saved. Are you ready, Deputy Hudson?”_ The whole group notices the struggles in the Deputy’s face and John’s prideful posture.

 _“Go fuck yourself.”_ She answers.

_“Mmmm…. I know. Opening yourself, exposing your darkest secrets is challenging. But there’s no judgement here. It’s safe. Do you want me to hear your confession?”_

_“Go. Fuck. Yourself.”_ She repeats after a while.

 _“That’s not the magic word.”_ He looks peaceful. No angst in his face. But a few seconds he tightens his grip on her shoulder and raises his voice just a bit and already sounds scary. “ _Do you wish me to hear your confession?”_

She doesn’t answer. This whole conversation just like into one’s gates. It takes a few more minutes before John’s sigh can be heard and he starts pushing the tip of the knife into Hudson’ right leg.

 _“Aaarrrggghhh!”_ The scream echoes through the rooms and they can clearly hear Elena crying louder.

 _“Do you wish to confess?”_ John repeats again.

_“Fuck you! Fuck you! Aaaaargh!”_

_“Embrace it! Embrace. The. Power. Of. Yes!”_

_“Please! Don’t! Please, don’t!”_ She screams again and again and again.

“Fuck it! Can’t hear this anymore!” Grace slams her rifle into the monitor breaking it and turns to her friends. “Can’t watch our friend crying either. We’re gonna end this motherfucker. Tonight.”

 

They don’t tell her about their plans. She’s not aware of what is going to happen and she doesn’t care. One of her guns-for-hire decided to not leave his friend this night, and just stays in the living room, going back and forth. Even he can’t put his hands in his lap and calm down. He can’t watch his friend suffering.

“Ya know, there was that time when I decided to leave my Trailer Park and take a stroll in the Henbane to the south. I was going and going down that path. I think they call it the Pilgrimage. And then I saw her. Beautiful in that white summer dress, holding those bliss flowers in her hands and I just approached her. I dunno. She looked sweet like honey.” The Deputy meets his eyes and makes a small grin, hearing his calming voice. “And then ya know… She started asking if I believe in God. If I will follow Broseph and she handed me that book. And I just…”

“You what?” She smiles even wider.

“I told her that I can’t read.” He swears he hears her soft laughter until she lowers her gaze once again. “And then I gave her twenty bucks for her to read to me and she just disappeared, leaving those bucks on the ground. She rejected me.” She chuckles and leans her head against his chest.

“I wish my brothers were here. You’d like them so much. Not gonna skip a moment without being around Max. You two are so much alike.” She smiles at him and he repeatedly nods in agreement.

“If they’re your brothers, they’re my brothers.” He nods and tilts his head just enough for his jaw to rest on the top of her head.

 

Meanwhile, Grace zooms in the view and watches through the scope at the surroundings in John’s Gate. The night is peaceful and quiet even when they were so close to devil’s nest. She waits and waits, constantly gazing at the entrance. People change. She spots as peggies pull old hostages out and into vans taking them somewhere else.

“People. Be alert, peggie trucks coming your way.”

 _“Is that him?”_ She hears Jess voice.

“Nah. Just prisoners. We’re gonna deal with them later. Our main priority is that fucker for now.”

More minutes pass and she starts yawning, her eyes becoming heavier with each second.

 _“Grace, how are things there?”_ It wakes her just in time as she notices movements. She quickly spots John coming out from the bunker wiping his bloody hands with a cloth while motioning for his people to get into trucks.

“People, get ready, he’s going to his SUV.” She speaks through the radio. “Gonna be there in less than ten mins.” She quickly gets her stuff and starts running through the trees into their meeting point.

 

He knows he fucked up. He shouldn’t have sent that video in the first place. After that he was eaten by guilt, thinking about how he made the Deputy feel. He knew from the beginning that breaking her wouldn’t be easy. But when he watched the video again and again after it was sent, he understood his mistake. It was too much. She just wanted to save her friend. She didn’t want to inflict pain. It was his fault. And only his.

 _You have to love her John. Do not let your sin prevent that._ But he failed. He failed Joseph once again. He failed himself. _Sloth. Wrath. Envy._ He wouldn’t admit to anyone how much he envies Boshaw and Drubman of the time they spend together with the Deputy. He wanted this. He wanted _her_ once she stepped inside the church. He hurt her only because she didn’t want him in return.

He’ll never forget how her eyes shined when she put the cuffs on his brother and Sheriff praised her by patting her shoulder then. He never had even this. Joseph never praised him for anything. It was always Jacob. And now he envies his eldest brother because he is tougher, he always manages to get what he wants. He had the Deputy. And now she could be his. But he failed.

It was that time after her unsuccessful burst into his office when he firstly felt something. He watched as Jacob charged into the woods after her and he felt that anger rising in his chest. But it was just the beginning. The days he spent in his ranch not even knowing what was happening in the Mountains and those short phrases that boiled his blood about her being Jacob's perfect soldier, his kitten, his pup... 

It didn’t come as surprise, when he lost control of his car and he watched with horror when those Guns for Hire got out from their cover waiting for him. She sent them. She sent them to finish him. He deserved it. But he just couldn’t find her anywhere. He wouldn’t tell her how sorry he was.

The only thing he remembers when the huntress says: “ _Surprise, motherfucker!”_ And he blacked out. Fuck Jacob’s hunters. Fuck the bliss arrows. Because of them, he was now groaning from pain running through his spine.

“Wake up, sonavabitch.” Someone slaps his/her hand against his cheek and he squeezes his eyes. Sudden light makes him blind for a while but when he adapts to them, he notices a very familiar room. In fact, too much familiar. Because when he first stepped into Falls End he went directly here. _Church._ He’s in Jerome’s church.

“Well, look who’s up.” He hears a male voice and raises his eyes to meet Jerome’s. John chuckles scanning the figures around. Bold Hurk Jr., an angry look on the huntress Jess Black’s face, grinning Jerome, his beloved Mary May Fairgrave with narrowed eyes and his most ~~favourite~~ Adelaide Drubman, and yeah, some other Resistance folks.

“Ya know,” he starts. “It’s a disgrace to sin in God’s house.” He spits some blood mixed with saliva to the floor and meets Jerome’s eyes once again. And then he hears another familiar male voice.

“It’s a disgrace to let a demon like you wander on these lands.”

“Aaaagh! Nick Rye!” He starts coughing while chuckling. “Long time. How’s Kim doing?”

“Fuck you! You’re a goddamn demon, John Seed. And when you choke and scream from pain, you yourself gonna ask us to kill you.” He badgers. Nick raises his fist and nearly punches it hard to John’s face when Jerome grabs him by his hand.

“Wait.” He continues. “Elena, wouldn’t want this.”

“Wouldn’t want what? He hurt her… He hurt her friend. He deserves that.” Jerome shakes his head and backs aside, so Nick makes a few steps towards John and punches him in his face a few times before pulling the lapels of his jacket apart searching for something. And John laughs even harder.

“Motherfucker, where is it?”

“Where’s what?” Mary asks with confusion.

“Where’s the key, John?” Nick raises his voice and punches into his face once again.

“Oh…” He looks with a surprise in his face. “I might lo-ost it.” He grins and Nick wants to send another hit.

_“Don’t. Nick, stop.”_

John’s eyes are already bruised but he still can see a figure standing in the doorways. The brightness outside illuminates the figure perfectly. He notices he spent all night here being restrained.

“Dep?” Hurk turns around and raises his eyebrow.

“Dep-yoo-.” John tries his best to sing out the nickname but is cut by his coughs.

“What are you doing here?” Jess asks and helps her get inside.

“Shoulda known you were up to something.” She looks at everyone’s faces before it longs on John’s. “He doesn’t deserve this. He doesn’t deserve to see you lower yourself to his level and inflicting pain. I started this and I’ll get this over with.”

“But-” Jerome clears his throat but she raises her hand to stop him.

“I’m _wrath_. Just as he said. But there’s no need for anyone to be consumed by wrath as well.” She approaches John and stands a few inches from him. “Each time I give you all a chance to prove me that you can change, you always disappoint me. So, I’m asking you… is there any reason why I should leave you alive?” She crouches down and looks directly into his eyes with angst and disgust in her face. “Why, John? Why did you hurt Hudson?” She starts crying and swears she can see John softening. “Why her? What did she do to you?” She grabs him by his neck and starts strangling him but Hurk wraps his hand around her waist.

“Dep,” he puts his hand on the back of her head and pulls her into tight hug. “That’s okay, man. I’m here. We’re here. We’re gonna get Hudson back. I promise, dude.”

Nick passes her by and looks at John. “You’re gonna suffer for every tear that rolls down my friend’s cheek. I’m gonna kill you. Slowly.”

“No need to kill. Not _yet_.” Mary May stops Nick and stands in front. “What do you want, Seed? What do you want in exchange for Deputy Hudson’s life?”

He doesn’t answer at first. But then he lifts his head up and turns to look at the Junior Deputy.

“ _Her_. I ne-eed her.”

 

They are all literally confused. Especially Elena who just stares him up and down while her friends talk to each other outside. She hears loud voices, yelling and she doesn’t have enough strength to stop this.

“Why?” She asks and he raises his eyebrow.

“I thought I made this clear. I want to sa-ave you.”

“After all I’ve done?” She puts her hands together brushing away the sweat.

“You’re not beyond salvation.”

“That’s what Joseph says, not you.”

“I believe in wha-at he says.”

“Do you, really?” She asks and clears her throat. “Because if I recall it correctly, you tried to drown me. No… not _tried_. _Wanted_. You wanted and you nearly did this.”

“I let wrath consume me. I’m… I’m _sorry._ ” Now it seems, he’s confused. She doesn’t know why he apologised. He liked inflicting pain.

“Why Hudson?” She asks again.

“She was the ba-ait to lu-ure you to me.” She nods. She already knows that. “Believe me or not. I felt gu-uilty for sending you that video. I shouldn’t ha-ave started all this. I shouldn’t have come to Hudson and sta-art torturing her. But you escaped. And I…” He coughs even more and she quickly charges towards him, raising his jaw a bit. “You’re sweet.” He smirks and she backs away.

“You what, John?”

“I started thinking…”

“About what?” She presses him more.

“What if Boshaw was _right_?” She blinks a few times looking at his eyes.

“What?” She scoffs.

“You heard. I need you. I _want_ you.” The voices outside quieter and she once again finds herself around her friends. Except her eyes are darted at the man tied to a chair, as she slowly digests what he said.

“Did he tell you where the key is?” Nick takes the knife and gets behind John. The Deputy stares at John for a little longer and then shakes her head.

“What it will take for you to let Hudson go?” She asks Mary’s question once again.

“I’ve already told you. You.” He answers simply and turns his head up looking at the ceiling. “You’re gonna kill me or what, Nick?”

“Details, John. I. Need. Details.” She makes a few steps forward towards him and takes the knife from Nick, holsting it behind her belt.

“You come with me. Willingly.”

“The hell she will!” Jess interrupts but it seems John’s not gonna stop at this point.

“You confess. You stay with me until you reach Atonement. And when you do… if you’ll still be against us… if you’ll still want to leave, I’ll let you.” She notices honesty in his eyes even if she searches for any lies.

“And Hudson?”

“She’s gonna be free once you leave with me.”

“He’s lying.” Nick stands in front of the Deputy, shaking her by her shoulders.

“He’s not.” She bravely states but Mary quickly turns her around.

“Dep, don’t be stupid. He’s fooling you. He’s gonna drug you.”

“I’m not gonna let this happen.” She says and looks to John, still hearing voices in her ears from her friends, but the only thing she can concentrate on now is John.

“I accept that.” She says and her friends start shouting ‘no’.

She watches as John’s smile grows wider and he shakes his head _no_.

“Nah, it’s not how it wo-orks. You know what to say, Dep-yoo-tee.” A pregnant silence takes over them, everybody’s shaking their heads, Jerome and Nick going back and forth, Hurk going crazy and Jess just sitting there watching all this happening. The Deputy inhales deeply and slowly exhales opening her eyes and meeting the Baptist’s.

“ _Yes_.”


End file.
